ICAEW.com works better with JavaScript enabled.

TAX NEWS

HMRC telephone service deteriorates further

Article

Published: 07 Aug 2023 Update History

The latest figures for April to June 2023 show that callers waited even longer on HMRC helplines.

Poor HMRC service performance has again featured in many newspapers in the last week.  

The latest statistics for April to June 2023 show that the average time for a call to be answered has lengthened to 22 minutes, 70% of callers wait for more than 10 minutes and only 63% of calls are answered.  

The percentage of post answered within 15 working days has remained stable. HMRC has been allocated some additional temporary resource to clear old correspondence. However, the temporary resource is only available until September.  

The key performance indicators are as follows: 

  Apr to Jun 2023 Apr 2022 to Mar 2023 Target
Customer
Satisfaction
 78%  79%  80%

Customer
correspondence
cleared within 15
working days

 74%  73%  80%

Customer correspondence cleared within 40 working days

 Not published  89%   95%

Net easy score

 +58  +60  +70

Telephones: adviser attempts handled

 63%  71%  85%

Telephones: average speed of answer

 22 minutes  16 minutes  None

Telephones: callers waiting for more than 10 minutes 

 70%  63%  None

HMRC has also published a narrative report

ICAEW’s Tax Faculty continues to press HMRC on the impact that its poor service is having on taxpayers and agents. It will do so again at the Representative Bodies Steering Group on 9 August 2023. 

Read more: 

 

The Tax Faculty

ICAEW's Tax Faculty is recognised internationally as a leading authority and source of expertise on taxation. The faculty is the voice of tax for ICAEW, responsible for all submissions to the tax authorities. Join the Faculty for expert guidance and support enabling you to provide the best advice on tax to your clients or business.

More support on tax

ICAEW's Tax Faculty provides technical guidance and practical support on tax practice and policy. You can sign up to the Tax Faculty's free enewsletter (TAXwire) which provides weekly updates on developments in tax.

Sign up for TAXwireJoin the Tax Faculty

More from the Tax Faculty

Latest news
Making tax digital image
TAXwire

Stay up to date with the latest developments in tax by signing up to the Tax Faculty's weekly e-newsletter

Practical guidance
Cover
TAXline

Comprehensive support for Tax practitioners each month from the Tax Faculty and expert contributors.

Technical support
Tax Faculty image
Webinars

Expert advice from the Tax Faculty's technical managers on all the developments in tax policy and practice.

Open AddCPD icon

Add Verified CPD Activity

Introducing AddCPD, a new way to record your CPD activities!

Log in to start using the AddCPD tool. Available only to ICAEW members.

Add this page to your CPD activity

Step 1 of 3
Download recorded
Download not recorded

Please download the related document if you wish to add this activity to your record

What time are you claiming for this activity?
Mandatory fields

Add this page to your CPD activity

Step 2 of 3
Mandatory field

Add activity to my record

Step 3 of 3
Mandatory field

Activity added

An error has occurred
Please try again

If the problem persists please contact our helpline on +44 (0)1908 248 250