HMRC not answering calls

[AnthonyR]

I've been trying to get hold of HMRC, on various different matters, on various different numbers over the last few weeks.

Each time I've held on hold until I can't stand it any more and then need to get on work work/calls/meetings etc.

I've currently been on hold for 49m trying to get an update on an enquiry, with no sign of it being answered any time soon. I would guess that I've spent 8 hours on hold over the past two weeks unsuccessfully trying to reach HMRC.

Is everyone experiencing this or have I just been unlucky?

Anthony

[etf]

My post yesterday detailed my similarly negative and time consuming experience which matched your own. I have been chasing HMRC (aka Inland Revenue) since 1984 and am under the impression that for a long time they just haven't been coping (instead devoting huge resources to huge white elephant projects that are doomed to fail). The chap I got through to yesterday indicated it is not unusual for tasks three months old to be outstanding when I asked him that question.

As an aside, back at the start of my career you could always pin down who was responsible for answering your correspondence and chase them until the issue was resolved. Now if you are lucky enough to get through and not cut off, you often have to explain your gripe to numerous individuals none of whom are actually the people who will process the work. It is like a game of Chinese Whispers where none of the players speak the same language with the inevitable strong possibility of a poor outcome.

I was on the phone for nearly one and a half hours yesterday chasing one issue and something that should be routine. As an indication of how standards have slipped, back in the 1980s if we (very junior tax advisers) took longer than 3 rings to answer an incoming call,we would receive a strong rebuke from our sub-manager.