In a move that has left millions of households without access to its self-assessment helpline, HMRC has announced that it will be shutting down one of its major phone lines. The closure, which will last from June 12 to September 3, is part of an HMRC trial aimed at encouraging households to seek help from the department’s digital services.
The decision to shut down the helpline is intended to free up more advisers to take urgent calls on other lines and engage with customers. According to HMRC, the trial of its “seasonal model” will allow its team to answer around 6,600 other calls per day. The helpline typically receives far fewer calls over the summer months, with call volume around 50% higher between January and April compared with June to August.
Customers will be able to use the line again from September 4, 2023, so they can receive support in the five months running up to the SA deadline on January 31, 2024. HMRC estimates that around two-thirds of all self-assessment-related calls can be resolved by customers online. To ensure that customers don’t miss out on support during the closure, the tax office will also increase the number of advisers available on webchat, the online service helpline and the extra support team helpline.
Customers with queries about their self-assessment tax return are advised to visit Gov.UK for guidance on using HMRC’s online services.
Domenico Santomasi
