Taxpayers now have to submit self-assessment repayment requests via post, rather than over the telephone or through its webchat, which could lead to significant delays in replies, experts have warned.
“The vast majority of repayment claims are done online, and people can continue to claim refunds via their online tax account as normal, or they can submit claims via post.”
People are still able to submit their self-assessment forms via the website but if they have any queries, they could face months of waiting as they have to send off a form which not only takes time, but will also cost them in postage fees.
He said: “Unfortunately, they are often those who need money the most urgently so may be aversely affected by this change.
In March last year, HMRC announced it was closing its self-assessment helpline for six months of the year, before almost immediately reversing their decision after an outcry.
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At the start of this year, the Commons Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, published a damning report on HMRC’s customer service.
Calls were also automatically cut off after 70 minutes without any supporting explanation or callback option, the report said.
The data it obtained shows that the number of calls answered by HMRC fell from 33.1 million in the tax year ending April 5, 2015, to 16.2 million in the last full tax year.
‘Delays can be very long – many months’
Mark Andrews, an accountant from Dorset, who now lives in Yorkshire, is a member of an accountants’ forum and said many have complained about HMRC only accepting letters.
“Delays can be very long – many months – and HMRC will not commit to a timescale. They give an approximation of six to eight weeks typically, but they say this cannot be guaranteed.”
He said: “It can be very difficult for the public to engage with HMRC at the best of times, and shutting down phone lines will make things even harder.
“For those who are not online, the only option seems to be putting a letter in the post and then sitting and waiting for a response. This is simply unacceptable.
When calling the number to order a self-assessment form, a recorded voice says: “Please note, this line is only for ordering forms and leaflets.
When calling the helpline, it says: “If you’re calling to claim self-assessment repayment, you should do this online. Please note, our advisers are unable to do this over the phone.”
Jim Harra, HMRC’s chief executive, said the committee’s claims on its customer service were “completely baseless” and added “we’ve made huge improvements to our service standards, with call wait times down by 17 minutes since April last year”.
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