Thousands on hold to HMRC cut off after 70 minutes, report finds

Published On Jan 21, 2025, 7:06 PM

A report by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) criticizes HMRC's customer service, revealing that nearly 44,000 customers were cut off after waiting on hold for over an hour. HMRC's phone service is claimed to be *worsening*, with calls being cut off without warning due to inadequate system capacity. The PAC urged HMRC for leadership to improve customer service, tackle tax system abusers, and manage uncollectable debts, which increased to £5 billion this fiscal year. Despite these criticisms, HMRC insists they are improving service standards, with call wait times reduced and high customer satisfaction with digital services.