But…what is a SuperSquad?
A practical, paid work experience programme where teens engage with real business and societal challenges.
Fifty teenagers from across the UK joined the HMRC and Accenture SuperSquad, taking on the challenge of reinventing the self-assessment tax process for the next generation.
Over six weeks, they explored tax literacy, user pain points, digital behaviour, and design. They rapidly moved from not knowing what self-assessment was to designing digital tools, calm user journeys, and AI-supported features that could reshape how young earners approach tax.
Their challenge was not only to improve clarity but to make the whole experience feel human, reassuring, and even enjoyable.
The SuperSquad produced ideas that tackled the biggest barriers young people face with self-assessment, including fear, confusion, procrastination, and unclear language. Several ideas designed year-round tools, such as income journals, expense trackers, and simple money diaries that make filing easier when January arrives.
Together, the ideas showed how young earners would redesign tax to feel human, clear, and stress-free, without losing any accuracy or responsibility.
At the start of the SuperSquad, the young people scored an average of 2.6 out of 10 when asked how confident they felt in their understanding and ability to complete self-assessment.
This was not a percentage. It was a confidence rating out of ten.
By the end of the programme, that score had risen to 7.9 out of 10. This means the teenagers moved from very low understanding to genuine confidence in just six weeks.
They learned what self-assessment is, who needs to complete it, how it works, and what the different forms and steps mean. They also built skills in critical thinking, communication, and using digital tools, which made the whole process feel far less confusing.
This uplift is one of the biggest increases we have ever seen in a financial or government-related SuperSquad.
70% of the teenagers in this SuperSquad were from BAME communities.
This is not just a number. It means young people who may not always feel they have a voice or see themselves represented in financial or government careers had a platform and real influence.
Their ideas came from lived experience and cultural pride, and they changed the direction of the challenge.
When you design with care and remove barriers, inclusion happens naturally.
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Contains a detailed overview of the programmes and a bid support appendix
