{"id":15811,"date":"2024-03-20T13:32:23","date_gmt":"2024-03-20T13:32:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liquidfriday.co.uk\/?p=15811"},"modified":"2024-03-20T13:32:23","modified_gmt":"2024-03-20T13:32:23","slug":"hmrc-u-turn-on-helpline-changes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.liquidfriday.co.uk\/hmrc-u-turn-on-helpline-changes\/","title":{"rendered":"HMRC U-Turn on Helpline Changes"},"content":{"rendered":"

HMRC has withdrawn changes to its helplines, less than 24 hours after announcing them.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Plans to shake up HM Revenue and Customs\u2019 helpline services, which would have seen the self-assessment helpline closed for part of the year, have been halted following an outcry.<\/span><\/p>\n

On Tuesday 20th March, HMRC announced \u201cpermanent\u201d changes to the self-assessment, VAT and PAYE helplines, drawing criticism from a range of sectors in doing so.<\/span><\/p>\n

By Wednesday morning, HMRC had back-peddled, saying it was halting the plans in response to feedback.<\/p>\n

Shift to online shouldn\u2019t be forced<\/span><\/h3>\n

The changes would have meant that between April and September, the self-assessment helpline would be closed and customers would be directed to self-serve through its online services.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chairwoman of the Treasury Select Committee, Harriett Baldwin, said on Tuesday that the move to online services should not be <\/span>\u201cforced on taxpayers\u201d.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

She said that HMRC has not yet demonstrated that the department or the public <\/span>\u201care ready to make such a monumental change to how they resolve tax issues\u201d.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Dawn Register, head of tax dispute resolution at advisory firm BDO, said previously: <\/span>\u201cTax can be horribly stressful and our concern is that this decision will make being tax compliant more challenging for some people.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) previously described the plans as \u201cmisguided\u201d.<\/i><\/p>\n

Tina McKenzie, policy chair at the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), said on Tuesday that the plans would <\/span>\u201cbe greeted with dismay by thousands of small businesses\u201d.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

HMRC said it is now halting its plans in response to the feedback while it engages with its stakeholders about how to ensure all taxpayers\u2019 needs \u2013 including small businesses \u2013 are met as it shifts more people to online self-service in the longer term.<\/span><\/p>\n

It means the changes to the self-assessment, VAT and PAYE helplines announced by HMRC will all be halted while it engages with stakeholders, and phone lines will remain open between April and September.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jim Harra, HMRC chief executive said on Wednesday: <\/span>\u201cMaking best use of online services allows HMRC to help more taxpayers and get the most out of every pound of taxpayers\u2019 money by boosting productivity.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cOur helpline and webchat advisers will always be there for those taxpayers who need support because they are vulnerable, digitally excluded or have complex affairs.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cHowever the pace of this change needs to match the public appetite for managing their tax affairs online.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve listened to the feedback and we\u2019re halting the helpline changes as we recognise more needs to be done to ensure all taxpayers\u2019 needs are met, whilst also encouraging them to transition to online services.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

HMRC said it will continue encouraging customers to self-serve where possible and access the information they need more quickly and easily by going online or to its app.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

HMRC has withdrawn changes to its helplines, less than 24 hours after announcing them. Plans to shake up HM Revenue and Customs\u2019 helpline services, which would have seen the self-assessment helpline closed for part of the year, have been halted following an outcry. On Tuesday 20th March, HMRC announced \u201cpermanent\u201d changes to the self-assessment, VAT […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":15815,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52],"tags":[25,86],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHMRC U-Turn on Helpline Changes - Liquid Friday<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"HMRC has halted plans to shake up their Self-Assessment, PAYE & VAT helplines which would have forced taxpayers to self-serve online\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liquidfriday.co.uk\/hmrc-u-turn-on-helpline-changes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"HMRC U-Turn on Helpline Changes - 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