Tens of thousands of people rushing to do their self-assessment tax returns by January 31 face having to wait in “long phone queues,” due to HMRC pushing more services online, senior MPs warned on Tuesday.
The Commons Treasury Committee criticised the shift by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Custom away from self-assessment call handlers.
It wrote to HMRC boss Jim Harra with a string of questions over the decision to direct many callers to online services.
But the senior MPs were not fully satisfied with his answers.
Treasury Committee chairwoman Harriett Baldwin said: “People calling the helpline are doing so because they are trying to get their taxes right.
“I thank Jim Harra for his prompt response however I remain concerned that this reduction in service will leave people sitting in long phone queues in the run up to the deadline for filing tax returns.”
Earlier, the committee had criticised the lack of warning to the public of the change in policy towards more online services which started on December 11.
Responding to concerns raised, Mr Harra said the self-assessment (SA) “peak is already a significant digital event” and that in 2023, customers and their representatives filed 97 per cent of returns online, with 91.3 per cent filing on time.
Nearly 12.5 million online payments were made in the weeks before 31 January 2023.
HMRC also received 5.5 million SA helpline calls last year, with 1.2 million in the eight weeks running up to the filing deadline.
Mr Harra added: “Our strategy is for more of our customers to self-serve online. Most of our customers are digitally able and report a good experience when they engage with us using online services."
Examples of queries that can be resolved much quicker online, according to HMRC, include updating personal information, chasing on the progress of a SA registration, ending SA registration, and checking a Unique Taxpayer Reference number.
Mr Harra stressed: “We are not restricting access to SA support. We are asking customers who can, to use online self-serve options for simple queries so they get a quicker response and free up our helpline advisers to deal with those queries that cannot be handled online.
“We will be undertaking regular monitoring of customer feedback, increasing quality checks on completed SA returns and monitoring return filing rates. We will also be reviewing increases in digital hits on relevant pages on gov.uk, the Digital Assistant, app, webchat and online Personal Tax Account transactions.”
Pressed on how tax chiefs would ensure so-called “non-priority callers” could find what they need online, the HMRC boss said: “We have identified the most frequently asked queries that customers call about where we have a good online offering and have made sure our online advice and services in relation to these queries has been reviewed and is easy to use.
“Customers will be directed to specific and relevant online help and support via SMS text messages. If customers have queries after reviewing online guidance, we will offer support through our Digital Assistant in the first instance.
“Where the Digital Assistant cannot answer questions, it directs customers to HMRC SA advisers on webchat. Our webchat advisers have the same skills and knowledge as those advisers on the phones.”
But asked if he was concerned that so-called “non-priority callers” may call until they get through, creating longer waiting times, he stressed: “It is very important that customers who can do so, use our online services and do not prevent other customers whose query cannot be dealt with online from getting through to a helpline adviser.
“Many of the queries we usually get on the phones can be more quickly and easily resolved online. Our online services are available 24/7 so there is no need for customers to wait.
“If customers call the helpline with a query that does not relate to returns, repayments and complex matters, our advisers will support them to use our online services instead.
“We need to make sure that our lines are available for those with complex queries or who are vulnerable or digitally excluded.”
