In February 2024, the Committee reported that HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC) overall customer service levels had reached an all-time low. The Committee was disappointed that service levels were in a state of continued decline, with 62.7% of callers waiting more than 10 minutes to speak to an advisor for 2023-24. While the Committee acknowledged that HMRC was making progress in tackling the extent of money owed in unpaid taxes, the report found the tax authority was still struggling to keep pace with its workload.
The National Audit Office found in 2024 that HMRC’s customer service performance on the phone had continued to deteriorate, with average waiting times now exceeding 22 minutes. It also found that HMRC’s plans to reduce its frontline customer service workforce in 2024-25 were highly ambitious, and depend on bringing digital improvements in on time. The Committee’s report on HMRC’s Making Tax Digital programme in 2023 warned that it was increasing the burdens imposed on some taxpayers.
Based on the NAO report, the Committee will hear from senior HMRC officials on topics including:
- Improving customer service performance;
- Optimising digital services;
- Plans for customer service workforce reduction.
If you have evidence on these issues, please submit it here by 23:59 on 28 May 2024.
Please look at the requirements for written evidence submissions and note that the Committee cannot accept material as evidence that is published elsewhere.
Please note the Committee is unable to help with individual issues with customer service.