HMRC to focus self-assessment helplines on ‘priority queries’

HMRC has announced that they will focus their self-assessment helpline and the Agent Dedicated Line on queries that can’t be easily dealt with online.

With this running until the 31^st of January and taking place during an important time – the lead-up to the self assessment tax return deadline – the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) has expressed concerns.

John Barnett, Chair of CIOT’s Technical Policy and Oversight Committee, said, “Reducing access to HMRC’s self-assessment helpline is misguided.

“While we understand HMRC’s desire to prioritise where it puts its limited resources, we are concerned that in practice many of their customers will be unable to navigate HMRC’s digital services, and will simply give up.

“Previous trials to limit calls to complex queries, or diverting people to online services, have proven either troublesome or inconclusive. There is a significant risk of increased non-compliance, resulting in more penalties and subsequent appeals, creating more work for HMRC and taxpayers in the long run.”

Commenting on the impact this will have on agents, especially during this peak time, John added, “Many agents will be working flat out over the next eight weeks to ensure that their clients meet their self-assessment obligations by 31 January, working evenings and weekends in order to do so. Reducing access to HMRC support during this critical period does nothing to reassure agents that their efforts are appreciated.”

“Agents tell us that they normally only phone HMRC when they can’t resolve the issue online and that if online functionality was available they would use it.

“There appears to be a significant gulf between what HMRC believe agents can do online, and what agents themselves believe, and that should have been resolved before such a drastic change during such a busy period.”

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