Why calling the taxman at teatime takes toll
A CALL to the taxman at teatime could leave you hanging on far longer than if you dialled before going to work, a study has found.
The worst time to ring HM Revenue and Customs is between 4.30pm and 5pm, with waiting times up to 25 minutes.
Callers to the HMRC’s self-assessment helpline were left on hold for an average of 47 minutes last October. This has raised concerns over the service’s ability to handle peak-time call traffic, despite improvements.
PfP, which insures individuals and businesses against the costs of tax probes, studied HMRC data on call waiting times for those seeking advice in the first four months of 2016.
Between 4.30pm and 5pm, customers were put hold for an average of 12 minutes, with some waiting nearly 25 minutes to be connected to an adviser.
But those who rang between 8.30am and 9.30am, or between noon and 12.30pm, waited four-and-a-half minutes on average.
Call-answering performance by HMRC has been savaged over the last year by public spending watchdogs.
Last month MPs on the Commons’ Public Accounts Committee warned that cuts to the service could make it even worse.
HMRC recruited 2,400 new helpline staff at the end of 2015 and branded the MPs’ report “inaccurate”. It was, it said, now offering its best service levels “in years”, with average waits of fewer than five minutes.
PfP managing director Kevin Igoe said long waiting times mean callers hang up and may miss crucial advice.
“Taxpayers want to contact HMRC when it is most convenient for them but this is likely to be at those peak times when call waiting times can reach over 20 minutes,” he said.
“There is a real concern that taxpayers will make mistakes on their tax return if they can’t get hold of HMRC, which could lead to serious consequences.
“As HMRC continue to crack down on the underpayment of tax, they need to ensure they provide sufficient quality customer service to deal with the subsequent queries from taxpayers.” A call at noon saves time