HMRC has announced that it will close its self assessment helpline and be trialling a seasonal model for the self assessment helpline, where queries will be redirected to digital services – such as online guidance, digital assistant and webchat – from 12 June until 4 September.
The sudden closure decision was taken with no prior consultation and gives taxpayers only four days’ warning.
The tax department explained that the “seasonal model” will free up
350 full-time equivalent HMRC advisers to answer calls and taxpayer
correspondence in other areas, and this will enable the advisers to
answer 6,600 calls each day.
Tax does have to be taxing.
Tax Investigation Insurance
Market leading tax fee protection insurance for businesses, sole traders and individuals. Protect yourself from accountancy fees in the event of an HMRC enquiry.
Having a Solar Protect Tax Investigation Insurance policy at your disposal means that should you be one of the many 1000's of businesses or individuals that are selected by HMRC each year to look into your tax affairs your own accountant (your tax return agent) can get on and defend you robustly.
You have the peace of mind knowing that your accountant's (your tax return agent) fees will be paid by the insurance without any Excess for you to find.
Tax Investigation Insurance is an insurance policy that will fully reimburse your accountant's (your tax return agent) fees up to £100,000 if you are subject to enquiry by or dispute with HMRC.
A Solar Protect policy will enable your accountant (your tax return agent) to:
- Deal with any correspondence from HMRC
- Attend any meeting with HMRC
- Appeal to the First-tier Tribunal or Upper Tribunal
- Having the security of knowing that fees will be met in full will enable your Accountant (your tax return agent) to defend your position robustly
Please click here for details.
HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
I wonder if this Unhelpful Helpline will be quietly dropped altogether and replaced, after a review of this twelve week 'seasonal model', with an AI Chatbot? Maybe the Santa Seasonal Model where it's only open once a Year..not enough Elves and Mrs Santa has said Shit It and took a flight to Benidorm.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the PR scripts for the Torygraph and the Heil are sitting in a desk somewhere? Optimal use of department resources to best serve our customers throughout the year.
They're sneaky bastards, I'll give them that.
If I was an Agent I'd be making note of this as grounds for appeal for late filing. Technical advice was needed that the department didn't provide.
MP's might be asking Mr Harra to explain himself as well.
A bit unfair to call it an unhelpful helpline, If you get lucky you sometimes get to speak to someone who know what they are talking about! OK, you sometimes get through those who don't appear to give a shit, but normally they do want to help, even if they can't as the part of HMRC that you want to speak to, doesn't want to speak to you!
DeleteThis does appear to be part of the HMRC masterplan to coerce everybody online, even though some can't!
I wouldn't worry too much about agents, my accountant ensures me they have their own dedicated line.
I do hope Mr Harra has a swift summons to the PAC, I'll get the popcorn!
HMRC is first & foremost there to serve its political masters in government! So it comes as no suprise given the shambolic nature of successive governments!
ReplyDeleteIt's all working out swimmingly.
ReplyDeleteA billion squid to save money, complete and utter double speak. Thousands of job losses and office closures. Shit pay rises for years and years, real term pay cut of about twenty percent. This figure is conservative, if the tax yield lost was included it would be significantly higher.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tax/news/hmrcs-digital-drive-to-cost-taxpayers-billions/