I have just received the attached from my professional subscription service.
Basically, it means that there is next to no chance nowadays of getting any kind of an answer from a human being in HMRC on any tax question. You will have to use HMRC’s online services or else wait for a written reply from HMRC to written correspondence.
As a general rule, HMRC never use e-mail unless they want something from you. If you want anything from them, then they will simply answer that they do not wish to use e-mail as it is not secure.
Please bear this in mind when waiting to hear about anything from officialdom.
Since I wrote this the Chancellor has now intervened, and HMRC have had to row back on their plans to close their helplines – at least for now. In theory, the Chancellor is in charge of HM Revenue and Customs and all related Treasury functions. In practice, it seems that he is the last person to know what his civil servants are proposing to do.
Please continue to expect long delays in getting any kind of response from Government sources to tax questions
Popular helplines to be severely restricted permanently
It’s now been confirmed that HMRC staff will be permanently diverted away from the self-assessment helpline meaning more blackout periods. What’s the full story?
HMRC’s cuts to frontline services is to continue, following several trials in 2023 when staff were temporarily reallocated elsewhere to help with processing backlogs. The moves were received negatively, with many believed to have felt unable to file their returns in the absence of being able to check technical queries. Today, the government has announced that there will be permanent closure periods going forward, calling last year’s trial “successful”. And it’s not just self-assessment that will be affected. This year:
- between April and September, the Self-Assessment helpline will be closed and customers will be directed to self-serve through HMRC’s online services
- between October and March the Self-Assessment helpline will be open to deal with priority queries – customers with queries that can be quickly and easily resolved online will be directed to HMRC’s online services
- the VAT helpline will be open for five days every month ahead of the deadline for filing VAT returns – outside of this time, customers will be directed to use HMRC’s online services
- the PAYE helpline will no longer take calls from customers relating to refunds – customers will be directed to use HMRC’s online services.
The CIOT has criticised the move, particularly in light of the Public Accounts Committee’s criticism of the standard of HMRC’s service, calling the move a “blinding light” that HMRC can’t cope.