Overdue, taxman’s email complaints system
After forcing millions of taxpayers to file online, HMRC will stop making people phone for redress
HMRC will finally allow taxpayers to complain online, instead of having to write by paper mail or phone, following pressure from MPS and controversy over its long helpline wait times.
Taxpayers contacting the Adjudicator’s Office, which handles complaints such as wrong tax codes or incorrect deductions, are currently forced to write letters, or call a helpline where they often face long waits.
The change of policy comes after Nicky Morgan MP, who chairs the Treasury Select Committee, wrote to HMRC this month to express the committee’s astonishment that the public were unable to contact the Adjudicator’s Office (AO) by email.
HMRC has now responded, pledging to provide email or another form of secure digital channel by this autumn at the latest. However, taxpayers complaining for the first time about an issue will still have to ring or write in.
The failure of HMRC to move its complaints service online until now will be seen as hypocritical, given the controversy it has caused by forcing millions of businesses and individuals to file their tax returns online this year. It blamed Brexit for the delay in upgrading its complaints process online, stating that it had prioritised getting ready to leave the EU.
Taxpayers are reportedly spending hours trying to speak to HMRC on the telephone, only to be cut off. The average amount of time taxpayers spend on hold is around 11 minutes, according to the latest figures, although they can wait much longer at peak times.
Commenting on HMRC’S announcement, Mrs Morgan said: “The AO plays a valuable role in resolving complaints against HMRC, yet many people are unaware of its existence. And of those who are aware, it can be a struggle for them to get in touch with the AO.
“As the Adjudicator told the Committee, the lack of digital access to the AO’S service is not defendable.
“Public-facing services simply have to be digitally accessible these days. Whilst it is astonishing in this day and age to say this, HMRC’S long-overdue commitment to provide a digital channel for the public to contact the AO is welcome.”
An HMRC spokesman said: “We provide a high quality, accessible complaints service, with over 98 per cent of complaints resolved internally. Just over 1 per cent of complaints escalate to the Adjudicator (943 complaints in 2017-18). HMRC agrees that a secure digital channel is needed for members of the public to contact the Adjudicator’s Office.”