Now taxman is a text man
ROUTINE calls to the taxman will be answered by text message instead of a human in a push to cut waiting times on helplines.
An HM Revenue and Customs trial will see taxpayers who seek help for problems such as resetting a password sent a text linking to online services.
Bosses say this will free up advisers to help those with more complex queries on the phone. But experts warn that scammers may seek to abuse the system by sending bogus texts.
HMRC expects 170,000 calls this month with simple questions as the January 31 self-assessment deadline looms. The trial will run until the start of April. Richard West, of HMRC, said: ‘Customers who cannot use digital services will be able to get support through our phone service.’