Government

‘Demand is increasing, but HMRC’S resources are decreasing…’

Between July and September, only 69 per cent of calls to HMRC were answered

In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes,’ wrote Benjamin Franklin. But given the slide in customer service where the latter are concerned, it can sometimes be a struggle to pay them correctly.

Of all the government services the public interact with on a regular basis, HMRC draws particular ire – possibly due to the frustration of being unable to get through to an organisation you are trying to hand over your money to. What on earth went wrong?

Canvassing opinion opens the floodgates of criticism. Lindsey Wicks, senior technical manager in tax policy at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), explains: ‘The primary reason is that demand for HMRC’S customer services is increasing, but HMRC’S resources are decreasing… You’ve got a reduction in staff, but at the same time a growth in the number of taxpayers.

‘The proportion of taxpayers with complex tax affairs who need more support is increasing as well.’

HMRC’S shift to digital hasn’t quite had the desired effect. Average phone waiting times have increased from five minutes before the pandemic to almost 24 minutes in October 2023.

But another statistic is even more telling: between July and September of last year, only 69 per cent of calls were actually answered.

Consumer rights expert Martyn James points out another problem: ‘The big issue is the bureaucracy of it all… It’s not that the staff aren’t helpful when you get through to them, they are, but you can spend an hour and a half on the phone.’

An HMRC spokesperson said, ‘We will deal with increasing demand by asking more of those who can to use our highly rated online services – because it’s quicker and easier for them; it’s more cost-effective for the public who fund us through their taxes; and it frees up our expert advisers to support those who genuinely need it.

‘Millions of people already sort their taxes online, with 83 per cent satisfied with their experience,’ they continued. ‘We’re working hard to build on that and make our services better for everyone.’