Do HMRC EVER answer the phone?!!

Do HMRC EVER answer the phone?!!

Didn't find your answer?

I absolutely despair do HMRC EVER answer the phone!?

I've been trying for days to speak to someone about Corporation tax tried phoning at various different times and just cant get a reply. I have been calling 0300 2003410 as I dont think there is an agent priority number.

Any suggestions?

As a sole practitioner I just cant afford to sit and wait for hours on the phone.

Replies (23)

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By Kazmc
23rd Feb 2016 11:16

.

A colleague of mine said the Employer Helpline are only taking about 10 minutes to pick up at the moment, 0300 200 3300. Might not be the right Department but at least you will get to speak to someone who can transfer you? Good luck!

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By Duggimon
23rd Feb 2016 11:18

You just need to put it on loudspeaker

or on a headset if you have one and wait, get on with doing something else. I don't think the other lines can transfer you directly to someone, I think they just dump you in the same call queue.

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Routemaster image
By tom123
23rd Feb 2016 11:44

20 minutes yesterday (gave up) ringing about CT.

Then, the next time, the recorded voice at the end finished with 'Goodbye' and that was that.

Today, at 08:50, got through in about five minutes.

Of course the answer was no use - but that's another thing.

(apparently my letter for a certificate of residence won't be answered until 30 working days plus - good job I am not waiting for my customer to pay me - oh, hang on..)

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By mwngiol
23rd Feb 2016 11:45

Helpline

Try employing a Welsh-speaker and call the Welsh language line. 2 or 3 minute wait maximum ;)

Thanks (6)
Replying to RogerMT:
RLI
By lionofludesch
23rd Feb 2016 12:18

Syniad Gwych

mwngiol wrote:

Try employing a Welsh-speaker and call the Welsh language line. 2 or 3 minute wait maximum ;)

Tro nesaf .......

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By happy
23rd Feb 2016 11:49

I sometimes wish it was the good ole days

Just sometimes I wish I was back in the late 1980's when you could call and speak to someone in a few minutes....ah well so much for improved customer service from HMRC!

OK so I dont think I'll take the Welsh option but a headset and try calling before 9.00am seems a good plan.

Thank you

 

Thanks (1)
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By pacta
23rd Feb 2016 12:11

Welsh Line

Can we call and ask if they speak English then conduct business in English? My taxes pay for that line too !

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Replying to Rgab1947:
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By happy
23rd Feb 2016 12:19

Welsh

pacta wrote:

Can we call and ask if they speak English then conduct business in English? My taxes pay for that line too !

 

I suspect the line will go dead!

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By mwngiol
23rd Feb 2016 13:05

Message

There's a recorded message at the start which tells you to use the usual numbers if you want to speak English. I doubt I'd make much progress trying to speak Welsh if I phoned the English line which my taxes pay for either!

I wonder what would happen if an English-speaker phoned the Welsh line and had a Welsh-speaker with them as an interpreter?

Lion - bendigedig!

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Replying to GardenGirl666:
RLI
By lionofludesch
23rd Feb 2016 13:56

Diolch

mwngiol wrote:

There's a recorded message at the start which tells you to use the usual numbers if you want to speak English. I doubt I'd make much progress trying to speak Welsh if I phoned the English line which my taxes pay for either!

I wonder what would happen if an English-speaker phoned the Welsh line and had a Welsh-speaker with them as an interpreter?

Lion - bendigedig!

 

Diolch i chi.

Dydw i ddim yn rhugl ond peidiwch a dweud cyfrinachau - jyst rhag ofn.......

 

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By Paul Hawes
23rd Feb 2016 13:11

Ahhhhhhhhh

It's frustrating because they can answer the agent helpline in seconds, I know less people are calling this number but they should expand this to more than SA and PAYE. I was trying to call the VAT helpline recently, it was usually just a busy line and one time getting through it took about 30 minutes on hold before speaking to someone. They could also do with reorganising the order of how the phone call goes - it's pretty annoying when you go through all the options then at the end it tells you the line is busy and hangs up.

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By pedre
23rd Feb 2016 13:18

Get this app

WeQ4u.

Ring HMRC, then when you get the annoying hold music, press 9* and hang up. When HMRC eventually pick up the phone, you'll get a phone call back.

Works a treat.

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By T Reece-Evans
23rd Feb 2016 13:33

Try writing

Instead of phoning try writing, but a word of warning, if you are within 5 years of retirement it will be whoever takes over your practice that receives the reply. 

 

Thanks (2)
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By BlackBriar
23rd Feb 2016 13:51

Straight through

I called a VAT officer on the number at the bottom of his emails to a client (local compliance office) and got straight through to him ! I nearly fell off my chair.

Then to top that, no security questions !!! Amazing !

And wait for it - he was even pleasant and courteous and offered to call back in a few minutes - which he did !

I'm still in a daze now......

 

 

 

 

 

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Jennifer Adams
By Jennifer Adams
23rd Feb 2016 14:04

Buy one of those phones that hang round your kneck...

... my record is 54 minutes of waiting. Its usually the CT number. In the end I bought one of the phones and work on other things whilst waiting for someone to answer. If not answered within 30 mins I hang up and write.

By the way.....I know it says HMRC are open until 8pm but they arent. I queried why I rang at 7.35pm once (I know out of normal working hours but I thought I'd test) and received a recorded message about using the website and then the phone was cut off. Apparently they invariably dont answer calls after 7.30pm because they've worked out that each call takes 1/2 hour and if they take calls after 7.30pm will means they wont finish ontime for their shift to end.

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By Duggimon
23rd Feb 2016 14:29

The only time I got straight through

was to talk to a particular officer about a self assessment issue. She was deaf and I had to speak through someone else on the other end of the phone who would type (slowly) what I said then read out what she typed in response.

I'm all for equal opportunities employment but if that's how we're going to talk then don't make me phone! I can also type!

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By Intellex
23rd Feb 2016 15:34

I have tried the 'I'm having a baby!' technique with some success. I can also recommend saying nothing and randomly pressing incorrect buttons repeatedly. The system seems to think you're in distress and puts you through to someone.

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By SteveHa
23rd Feb 2016 16:06

22 March 2006

I phoned and someone answered with almost no delay.

Of course, I'd dialled a wrong number and it turned out to be a curry house. Fortunately, they delivered, so that was lunch taken care of.

Thanks (7)
Replying to tom123:
RLI
By lionofludesch
25th Feb 2016 15:02

Peter Kay

SteLacca wrote:

I phoned and someone answered with almost no delay.

Of course, I'd dialled a wrong number and it turned out to be a curry house. Fortunately, they delivered, so that was lunch taken care of.

Reminds me of the Peter Kay story.

"What meat do you do ?"

"We do pork, chicken and beef."

"Do you deliver ?"

"No, we do pork, chicken and beef."

Thanks (1)
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By John Bick
23rd Feb 2016 17:33

Don't even think of trying e-mail

I called the helpline (sic) about a VAT agent issue and was told to put the request in an e--mail, Sent it off last week to the e-mail address given and received an automatic holding reply.

Today (1 week and 1 hour exactly later) I have received an e-mail telling me to phone because they can't act on e-mails for security reasons!

 

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By Cloudcounter
25th Feb 2016 11:56

Fax

We were asked yesterday to fax a document to HMRC.  We use an electronic service for sending faxes, and get a delivery (or otherwise) report by email.

The report for this fax? 

"Ringing but no answer"

So HMRC don't even answer their fax machines these days.  Looks like another attempt by post although it's already six months since the first letter

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the sea otter
By memyself-eye
25th Feb 2016 13:04

Try wikipedia

It's what HMRC use to answer difficult questions. No phone call required!

Thanks (1)
Replying to Matrix:
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By nogammonsinanundoubledgame
25th Feb 2016 14:11

Wiki

memyself-eye wrote:

It's what HMRC use to answer difficult questions. No phone call required!


What would be really good is if Wikipedia named AccountingWeb as its source :)

 

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