The plans to temporarily close a crucial helpline and reduce other phone services by HM Revenue and Customs sparked immediate backlash, leading to a quick reversal.
A few hours after announcing the proposals, the leader of the tax agency stated that in response to input from anxious parties, the alterations to the self-assessment, VAT, and PAYE support lines would be suspended in order to facilitate further discussions.
The decision to postpone the plans was made by top government officials, specifically Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, due to concerns that not all taxpayer requirements would be fulfilled. This news was first reported by the Telegraph.
On Tuesday, HMRC announced that starting this year, their self-assessment helpline will be closed from early April until 30 September. From October to March, the helpline will only handle “priority queries”.
Moreover, the proposed arrangement stipulated that starting in April, the VAT helpline would only operate for five days per month, and the PAYE helpline would no longer handle inquiries related to pursuing refunds for PAYE taxes.
The tax office is attempting to encourage individuals to utilize online methods over speaking with a human on the phone whenever feasible.
Many tax professionals, members of parliament, and others have expressed concerns that the general public is not prepared for a large and permanent shift to “online self-service”. These changes have been criticized as being misguided and ill-advised.
Jim Harra, CEO of HMRC, announced that they are pausing the modifications to the helpline after considering the feedback. They acknowledge the need for further action to cater to the needs of all taxpayers and encourage them to switch to online services.
He stated that the speed of this transition must align with the public’s willingness to handle their taxes through online methods.
HMRC has announced that the self-assessment, VAT, and PAYE helplines will no longer be operational during its engagement with stakeholders. As a result, the phone lines will remain open from April to September.
The Commons Treasury select committee responded by expressing their satisfaction that logic has ultimately prevailed.
The statement said: “We are pleased with the reversal of yesterday’s unwise announcement. Although we do not object to the expansion of digital services for those who choose to utilize them, we still have doubts about HMRC’s readiness to implement such a significant alteration in how it serves taxpayers.”
The committee stated that the intended alterations to the way HMRC’s phone lines are run were poorly handled from the beginning.
Nigel Huddleston, a minister from the Treasury, informed Members of Parliament that HMRC’s helpline and webchat assistants will be available to assist taxpayers in need. He acknowledged that the communication of such assurances was not clear enough the previous day.
The chairman of the Treasury select committee, Harriet Baldwin, expressed gratitude to the minister and the chancellor for acknowledging the outcry from everyday taxpayers in response to the announcement made on Tuesday.
Source: theguardian.com
