HMRC services need Budget investment

29 Oct 2024

The Chancellor needs to to put extra resources into HMRC's customer services in the Autumn Budget, according to bodies representing tax advisers and accountants.

The call follows emerging findings of a study of tax agents' contact with HMRC, conducted jointly by the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) and ICAEW during September and October 2024.

The findings reveal that a quarter of issues raised through helplines and webchats go unresolved, while in 41% of cases, agents needed to contact HMRC again.

However, 85% of attempts to contact HMRC across a range of helplines and webchats got through to an adviser, which the institutes said demonstrated that recent investment may have bolstered connection rates.

The institutes noted that the additional funds announced in May were a one-off and are therefore calling on the Chancellor to use tomorrow's Budget and Spending Review to further invest in this crucial area.

Ellen Milner, CIOT's Director of Public Policy, said: 'This new evidence backs up what we have been increasingly hearing for a number of years - HMRC's customer service levels are a serious blocker to willing people being able to get their tax affairs right and to their agents being able to support them. The poor service undermines HMRC's Charter commitments and has a damaging impact on growth and investment.'