Reader's Feedback: HMRC call response

I read the article on HMRC’s failure to answer calls (Taxation, 30 July 2015, page 8). While customer service has often fallen below what any of us would consider reasonable, for which we have apologised, to suggest that this is a “national scandal” is unfair and misleading. Our performance has improved significantly over many years and from the levels stated in the article, in part due to the £45m investment this year, which has helped to fund more than 3,000 new staff in customer service roles.

 

We are in our busiest period of the year, in the build-up to the tax credits renewals deadline, and have been answering more than 80% of calls in recent weeks. Waiting times have dropped significantly from those stated in the article, to below three minutes on average for tax credits. And this week around half of all tax credits renewals received have been submitted online – at a rate of more than 4,000 an hour at its peak. Satisfaction rates are consistently above 80% for this service.

 

Our future service offering is multi-channelled, with a growing suite of online services, including more than two million users of our business tax account and a trial already under way for the personal tax account, as well as our award-winning extra support face-to-face service for our most vulnerable customers.

 

We operate one of the biggest virtual contact centres in the world and handle about 50m calls a year. Sophisticated phone systems route calls to the most appropriate adviser and automatically answer many of the most frequently asked questions. We have also introduced a new approach, “once and done”, whereby advisers have been trained to resolve a customer’s full requirements in a single contact. However, we are not complacent and will continue to do all we can to support our customers, whether through new channels or by phone and post. We welcome feedback and challenge as we seek to make tax easier and bring in the revenue that funds essential public services, ensuring everyone pays their fair share.

 

Ruth Owen,

director general of personal tax, HMRC.