Treasury Committee demands answers on SA helpline restrictions

The House of Commons’ Treasury Committee has written to HMRC chief executive Jim Harra asking how HMRC’s restrictions on the self-assessment helpline affected taxpayers in the lead-up to the 31 January filing deadline.

Committee chair Harriett Baldwin asks whether HMRC in deploying a ‘digital first approach’ met its forecast of being able to provide telephone support to an additional 120 000 taxpayers during the peak period. If not the committee would like to know how many additional taxpayers were served via the helpline.

The committee also wants to know about feedback. Specifically Ms Baldwin asks how many customers complained about the helpline and online services? In addition the letter refers to the number of quality checks HMRC carried out.

On the fact that 1.1 million people missed the filing deadline – an increase of 100 000 over 2021-22 – the letter queries whether...