The Low Income Tax Reform Group believes that HMRC’s decision to reduce the opening hours of its helpline will hamper it in its long term aim to move to online services.
HMRC has proposed cutting the helpline hours as part of the coalition government’s public sector cost savings. But the LITRG says the government has not assessed fully the impact this move will have on minority groups and the Revenue’s plan to move online.
The group said that shorter hours send out the wrong message to the public and claim that a lot of people, including umbrella company contractors, can only get help at the weekend or during unsociable hours. They also say that disadvantaged families will suffer most from the reduction.
HMRC intends to abolish Sunday opening and reduce hours on Saturdays and bank holidays.
They think that HMRC should consider promoting Sunday opening, rather than stopping it, and explain how easy it is to get assistance online, thus spreading the load more evenly.
They have called on the Revenue to do a proper assessment of the impact prior to taking a final decision on the move.
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