HMRC relaunches agent dedicated line

"We are trialling a prioritised support service (Monday – Friday 8am – 6pm on 0300 200 3311) from the 14th June 2021 and we expect calls to this line to be answered within 10 minutes," the HMRC said in a recent statement. 

Acknowledging that it has not been able to offer a high level of service, particularly to agents, the tax authority said it has been instrumental to the government’s response to COVID-19, which has been resource intensive. 

Although the agent dedicated line is now up and running, HMRC said it is expecting agents to use digital services where these are available and to get information from clients where this is possible. 

Service developments

The tax authority also pledged to keep developing more digital services for agents, with a view to materially reducing their need to phone the office. Examples of some that HMRC is currently working on are:

• Forms processing. The HMRC is looking at ways to process claims more efficiently. "We’re working with our IT colleagues on how we can use scanning technology to help us improve the processing of R40 (PPI interest taxed at source) and other high demand forms," the authority said. 
• Agent authorisation processes. Longer term, the HMRC is looking at ways to streamline agent client authorisation processes while retaining security and GDPR requirements, developing smoother access to client information.
• Agent Income Record Viewer. HMRC has developed an Agent Income Record Viewer service, which provides agents with their client’s pay and tax details, employment history and tax code details. It involves a digital handshake which needs to be completed by a client.