As if closing the HMRC phones for 3 months in the summer wasn’t enough …. News today is HMRC intend to do the same again for 7 weeks in the busiest 7 weeks of the year….!
From 11 December until 31 January, a period where HMRC receive over one fifth of its total yearly phone calls, they will redirect the majority of callers to the self assessment (SA) helpline to online services as part of its transitioning to its digital-first approach and will focus on priority queries that cannot be easily dealt with online.
This reduction to service will affect accountants and tax advisors who use the agent dedicated line (ADL). During this SA peak time, agents may be asked to call back in February.
Glenn Collins, head of strategic and technical engagement at ACCA, described HMRC’s service as unacceptably poor, saying ‘The dramatically reduced service will be a worry for taxpayers and financial professionals alike. At a time when queries around self assessment go up significantly, this move by HMRC once again demonstrates it lacks the proper resources that it desperately needs.’
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