Call for HMRC to make service improvements

Accountants are struggling to work with HMRC services at even the most basic level according to new data from ACCA.

In a survey of UK ACCA members more than half (52%) of respondents said HMRC service levels were having a negative impact on productivity and efficiency either directly or for their clients.

Also 93% of survey respondents reported that HMRC needed to make drastic improvements across at least three key areas including reducing call waiting times call handling systems such as call queue information and call back options and better communications - particularly greater use of email.

A respondent based in the south east region said: ‘I now resort to raising a formal complaint every time HMRC ignores its own deadlines. It’s the only way I get an actual outcome.’

Glenn Collins head of technical and strategic engagement at ACCA said: ‘Many...