Alternatives to the HMRC Self Assessment Helpline

If you were planning to call HMRC’s Self Assessment helpline from next week, you may have to think again. HMRC will temporarily close its helpline for self-assessment taxpayers during the summer - from June 12 and scheduled to reopen on September 4. Instead, users will be directed to use online tools in order to free up staff time, according to the tax authority.

It probably saves people from hearing the HMRC hold music for hours on end however it does disproportionately affect individuals with lower incomes who cannot afford professional advice.

What are your alternatives?

• Chat with HMRCs digital tax assistant - chat function with a bot but can be routed to a human. Very useful as you’re kept in a queue and most queries can be answered here.
• HMRC mobile app - can find information about your tax, National Insurance, tax credits and benefits.
• HMRC personal tax account - similar to the app, all information relating to your tax, NI, credits & benefits.

If you’re looking to file your Self Assessment, our chat is open for support whilst you file your tax return through Taxd. No matter the complexity of your tax situation, we’ll make filing easy with support affordable and open all year round!

Seasonal closure of the helpline

This closure of the helpline is part of a new seasonal model being tested by HMRC. During the summer months, there are significantly fewer calls compared to the period between January and April.

By implementing this change, HMRC aims to allocate more resources to urgent calls and alleviate the workload of tax advisers. Approximately 350 full-time tax advisers will be made available for other tasks during the closure.

However, professional tax bodies criticized the decision. Gary Ashford, president of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, viewed it as a desperate measure indicating HMRC's inability to handle its obligations. He argued that the tax system has become more complex, and HMRC is struggling to keep up.