Taxman to close self-assessment helplines until September and will only deal with ‘priority’ calls when they reopen

HMRC will close its self-assessment helpline from April 8 to September 30, instead urging people to seek help through its online chatbots.

The taxman also said helplines would reopen between October and March, but only to deal with “priority requests”, with all others to be directed to its online services.

HMRC is also set to permanently close its VAT helpline, except for the five working days before each month’s submission deadline, while the PAYE helpline will no longer handle calls regarding PAYE refunds.

Harriett Baldwin, chair of the Treasury Select Committee, said: “It is a real shame that HMRC has decided that the time has come to essentially close down any means for people to contact them by telephone for much of the year.

“I repeat, these are well-meaning people who are just trying to pay their taxes well.

The move follows what it calls a “successful” trial last year, which saw HMRC close its helplines from June to September – a move exclusively revealed by This is Money.

Ahead of the first trial, the tax office said closing its lines would help its 350 advisers deal with urgent calls on other lines and respond to customer queries.

“The Committee welcomes efforts to make the tax system more efficient,” Baldwin said, “but HMRC has not yet demonstrated that the Department or the public are prepared to make such a monumental change in the way they resolve tax problems.

“This should not be imposed on taxpayers until it is proven that people know how to do their taxes on HMRC’s incredibly complex website.”

In February, a Public Accounts Committee report found that HMRC’s customer service had reached a record low, with callers waiting on average more than 16 minutes for an adviser to answer their calls in 2022-23, up from 12 minutes previously.

The Tax Office has insisted that callers who cannot access its online services or are in circumstances where they need further support will still be able to speak to advisers.

Gary Ashford, chairman of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, said: “We are deeply dismayed that, so soon after the criticism leveled against them by the Public Accounts Committee and in light of an inconclusive assessment, HMRC has decided to make these big, permanent cuts in the assistance they provide to taxpayers.

“If last year’s announcement of the summer closure of the Self-Assessment Helpline was a ‘flashing indicator’ that HMRC cannot cope, today’s announcements are a blinding light.”

Ashford added: “There’s no denying that tax is complicated, and people sometimes need reassurance that what they’re doing is right.”

“We encourage people to try the HMRC app and online services, which continue to be developed, so they may find their query can be resolved simply.”

“However, HMRC’s digital services are still far from being fully functional, and answers can still be difficult, if not impossible, to find online,” he said.