HMRC is resourced to meet the needs of the public, says the government

HMRC’s digital services are adequately resourced to address the needs of taxpayers and agents says the government in the Treasury’s April 2024 minutes. It refers to the 2021 spending review which set out that HMRC will receive a £0.9bn cash increase from £4.3bn in 2019-20 to £5.2bn in 2024-25 and that this includes £130m of investment to enable HMRC to enhance its digital services.

The government was responding to the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee report ‘HMRC performance in 2022–23’ which concluded ‘HMRC’s customer service levels are at an all-time low because of conscious choices made by HMRC and HM Treasury’.

In the minutes the government states that HMRC’s digital services are ‘highly rated with customer satisfaction scores exceeding 80%’ and that it supports HMRC’s strategy for developing modern services and encouraging customers to self-serve online. It adds: ‘HMRC’s helpline and webchat...