[UK] HMRC reverses decision on self-assessment helpline closure

In the UK, HMRC has made a U-turn on its decision to close its self-assessment telephone helpline for half of the year, BBC News reports.

On March 19, HMRC announced that the line would be closed between April and September, with taxpayers diverted to online services instead.

However, less than a day later it reportedly said that the support line would stay open this summer.

HMRC chief executive Jim Harra said, "The pace of this change needs to match the public appetite for managing their tax affairs online.

"We've listened to the feedback and we're halting the helpline changes as we recognise more needs to be done to ensure all taxpayers' needs are met, whilst also encouraging them to transition to online services."

The tax authority has struggled with long helpline waiting times and stinging criticism of its services. But its announcement of the helpline’s closure was greeted by widespread criticism from MPs and tax professionals.

More than 12 million people have to complete self-assessment forms every year and many hundreds of thousands of those reportedly call HMRC for help.

HMRC had also reportedly intended to open the VAT helpline for just five business days every month ahead of the deadline for filing VAT returns and reject calls about refunds to the PAYE helpline.

It has now stated that those changes will be halted too. The decision was met with relief from the Treasury Committee, who said that "common sense has prevailed".

"We welcome the decision to reverse yesterday's ill-advised announcement," the Treasury Committee said. "While we do not oppose expansion of digital services for those who want to use them, we remain entirely unconvinced that HMRC is adequately prepared to impose such a significant change in how it serves taxpayers.

"Planned changes to the operation of HMRC's phone lines have been mismanaged from the beginning. Questions still remain over the extent to which the department are prioritising its own needs over those of law-abiding and vulnerable taxpayers."

Source: BBC News

(Quotes via original reporting)

In the UK, HMRC has made a U-turn on its decision to close its self-assessment telephone helpline for half of the year, BBC News reports.

On March 19, HMRC announced that the line would be closed between April and September, with taxpayers diverted to online services instead.

However, less than a day later it reportedly said that the support line would stay open this summer.

HMRC chief executive Jim Harra said, "The pace of this change needs to match the public appetite for managing their tax affairs online.

"We've listened to the feedback and we're halting the helpline changes as we recognise more needs to be done to ensure all taxpayers' needs are met, whilst also encouraging them to transition to online services."

The tax authority has struggled with long helpline waiting times and stinging criticism of its services. But its announcement of the helpline’s closure was greeted by widespread criticism from MPs and tax professionals.

More than 12 million people have to complete self-assessment forms every year and many hundreds of thousands of those reportedly call HMRC for help.

HMRC had also reportedly intended to open the VAT helpline for just five business days every month ahead of the deadline for filing VAT returns and reject calls about refunds to the PAYE helpline.

It has now stated that those changes will be halted too. The decision was met with relief from the Treasury Committee, who said that "common sense has prevailed".

"We welcome the decision to reverse yesterday's ill-advised announcement," the Treasury Committee said. "While we do not oppose expansion of digital services for those who want to use them, we remain entirely unconvinced that HMRC is adequately prepared to impose such a significant change in how it serves taxpayers.

"Planned changes to the operation of HMRC's phone lines have been mismanaged from the beginning. Questions still remain over the extent to which the department are prioritising its own needs over those of law-abiding and vulnerable taxpayers."

Source: BBC News

(Quotes via original reporting)