In a move that surprised many, HMRC announced the closure of their self-assessment helpline for the summer season. This decision, made just three weeks after HMRC launched a campaign to encourage early filing of tax returns, has left tax experts concerned. They predict that the closure will result in a surge of last-minute phone calls, causing longer waiting times and further delays ahead of the January 31 deadline.
HMRC defended their decision, stating that the closure will allow 350 full-time advisers to focus on urgent calls and correspondence. They claim that the majority of self-assessment inquiries can be resolved online by customers themselves. However, critics, including the Low Income Tax Reform Group, question the evidence supporting this claim and argue that many tasks, such as canceling a tax return or chasing a refund, may be difficult for some taxpayers to handle without helpline assistance.
The closure poses a challenge for those who are digitally excluded, as they may not have access to online resources. These individuals will have to wait until the phone lines reopen in September or resort to writing a letter to HMRC. However, the tax office’s response time to letters is already slow, with over two weeks being the norm in 28% of cases.
Despite concerns raised by various groups, HMRC maintains that their working from home policy has had no impact on customer service performance. The office pledges to closely monitor the effect of the seasonal helpline closure and assess its impact on service performance and customer satisfaction levels.
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