Head of the Treasury Committee, Harriett Baldwin, has written to HMRC chief executive Jim Harra, requesting him to explain the long phone waits experienced by taxpayers.

Several news outlets, including the Daily Telegraph, have reported that taxpayers who called the HMRC helpline in early January 2023 were put on hold for several hours. Some of these customers were cut off without speaking to a representative.

In light of the growing number of complaints, Baldwin asked whether the disruption to the service was due to high levels of demand, too many HMRC staff members working from home, or whether the delays were connected to the IT issues experienced in early December 2022.

The MP also asked what steps were taken to resolve the reported concerns and whether HMRC would implement procedures to prevent similar issues in the future.

The committee expects a response to their enquiries by 23 January 2023.

As the self-assessment deadline approaches, it is increasingly important that taxpayers get the support they need to complete their returns accurately and on time.

In the letter, Baldwin said:

"It is of serious concern that taxpayers are apparently unable to reach HMRC by telephone in the run up to the 31 January online self-assessment deadline."

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