Tax helplines to be cut?

Why are tax helplines to be cut? HMRC did intend to make cuts in its telephone support because it needed to temporarily reallocate HMRC staff to other departments to help with backlogs.

If they went forward with their proposals, then it would have affected the following services:

• between April and September, the Self-Assessment helpline would be closed, and customers would be directed to self-serve through HMRC’s online services
• between October and March, the Self-Assessment helpline would be opened to deal with priority queries – customers with queries that can be quickly and easily resolved online would be directed to HMRC’s online services
• the VAT helpline would be open for five days every month ahead of the deadline for filing VAT returns – outside of this time, customers would be directed to use HMRC’s online services
• the PAYE helpline would no longer take calls from customers relating to refunds – customers would be directed to use HMRC’s online services.

HMRC U-turn on helpline closures

However, in March 2024 HMRC announced that due to substantial comments on the proposed changes that their plans would be halted. The phone lines will therefore remain open for now!

Further Reading:

Self Assessment Helpline

Government Support Update