Calls for new government to invest in HMRC to improve customer service

The Labour party said in the run-up to the election that it would not hold a budget without forecasts from the Office of Budget Responsibility. Meanwhile there is no shortage of advice for the newly elected government from the tax profession.

While the Labour party has said it will invest in HMRC to allow it to deal more effectively with tax avoidance there are calls for investment to improve HMRC’s current poor levels of customer service.

Andrew Snowdon chairman of UHY Hacker Young said: ‘Phone calls to HMRC now take an average of 23 minutes to answer – taxpayers deserve better. While the Labour party talk about investing in HMRC that investment is focused on collecting more tax through tax investigations and not fixing the customer care crisis.

‘There is a concern that too high a percentage of HMRC customer care focus staff are...