HM Revenue & Customs will close its helpline for self-assessment taxpayers for three months over the summer and direct users to its online tools to free up staff time, the tax authority has announced.
HMRC said it would trial the move as part of a new seasonal model for the helpline, which receives far fewer calls during the summer. Calls are around 50 per cent higher between January and April compared with June to August, it said.
The move would free up the equivalent of 350 full-time tax advisers and allow it to prioritise those with urgent calls, the tax office said.
“We continually review our services to see how they can best serve the public and we are taking steps to improve them,” said Angela MacDonald, deputy chief executive and second permanent secretary at HMRC.
“Our online services, including the HMRC app, are quick and easy to use and have been significantly improved. I urge customers to explore these fully before deciding to wait to speak to us on the phone.”
However, the announcement was criticised by some professional tax bodies. Gary Ashford, president of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, said: “This looks like a cry for help in a desperate situation. This is another clear indicator that HMRC can’t cope with everything it is being tasked to do, and simply cannot meet the demands of a growing and ever more complex tax system.”
The Low Incomes Tax Reform Group (LITRG), an educational tax charity, said the development would disproportionally affect those on the lowest incomes, who could not afford to get professional advice.
Victoria Todd, head of LITRG, added: “The sudden closure of the self-assessment helpline is extremely disappointing and ill thought out.”
The helpline will be closed from Monday June 12 and is due to reopen on September 4.
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