More investment in HMRC customer support is needed

We’re calling for more investment following concerns over the seasonal self-assessment helpline pilot.

HMRC has today (8 June 2023) announced it will pilot a new seasonal model for its self-assessment helpline from 12 June.

It will redirect self-assessment queries from the helpline to digital services, including online guidance, digital assistant and webchat, before the helpline reopens on 4 September. The intention is to free up the full-time equivalent of 350 advisers to focus on urgent queries on other lines and customer correspondence.

We’re concerned about the impact this will have on those without digital access. We also see this as part of the ongoing issues with HMRC funding: resource constraint on HMRC’s customer services was a major reason behind a letter which AAT and nine other professional accountancy bodies wrote to the Chancellor ahead of the Spring Budget in March 2023 urging the Government to prioritise investment in HMRC’s service levels.

Responding to the announcement, Adam Harper, Director of Professional Standards and Policy, AAT, said:

“This pilot raises significant concerns about the impact it will have on taxpayers, particularly those who are digitally excluded or who cannot currently access the service they require via digital platforms. The need for such a pilot, in order to redirect staff elsewhere, highlights the much bigger challenge that HMRC faces in balancing competing priorities with a constrained budget. Ultimately, the Government must address the root problem that more investment is needed.

“AAT and other professional accountancy bodies remain concerned that HMRC does not currently have sufficient resources to improve its customer service levels. Although AAT is supportive of the digital agenda, we believe it can only be delivered successfully if HMRC is properly resourced for customer service, providing a strong foundation for effective tax administration. Today’s announcement therefore shows the increasingly pressing need for further investment to support HMRC and reverse declining service levels.”

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