THE tax office has been ordered to keep a public phone line used by millions open – after plans to shut it down for half of the year unleashed a storm of fury.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has today intervened to prevent HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) permanently closing the self-assessment helpline from April 8 until September 29.
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The move would have meant anyone needing help with their tax returns would have been forced to use online chatbots, instead.
Mr Hunt said he felt more needed to be done by the taxman to ensure all taxpayers’ needs are met.
A Treasury source said: “Encouraging customers to self-serve online wherever possible is the right thing to do, but that cannot be at the detriment of the general public and the vulnerable who need access to the helplines to support them with tax matters.
“That’s why ministers have halted this change immediately.”
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HMRC said it recognised it had to do more to get people on board in its bid to shift more customers online.
HMRC chief executive Jim Harra said: “Making best use of online services allows HMRC to help more taxpayers and get the most out of every pound of taxpayers’ money by boosting productivity.
“Our helpline and webchat advisers will always be there for those taxpayers who need support because they are vulnerable, digitally excluded or have complex affairs.
“However, the pace of this change needs to match the public appetite for managing their tax affairs online.
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“We’ve listened to the feedback and we’re halting the helpline changes as we recognise more needs to be done to ensure all taxpayers’ needs are met, whilst also encouraging them to transition to online services.”
Yesterday, senior Tory Harriett Baldwin, who chairs the Treasury Select Committee, said the tax office decision was a “great shame”.
She added: “This should not be forced upon taxpayers until there is evidence that people know how to do their taxes on HMRC’s incredibly complex website.”
HMRC had said a previous trial enabled it to help more customers and did not impact on self-assessment taxpayers’ ability to file or pay on time – with a record 11.5 million filing their return by January 31, 2024.
