{"id":4712,"date":"2023-09-01T12:01:17","date_gmt":"2023-09-01T11:01:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cloud9accountingteam.co.uk\/?p=4712"},"modified":"2023-09-01T12:01:17","modified_gmt":"2023-09-01T11:01:17","slug":"hmrcs-complaints-process","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cloud9accountingteam.co.uk\/sk\/hmrcs-complaints-process\/","title":{"rendered":"HMRC’s Complaints Process"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many taxpayers taxed under self assessment may not be aware that HMRC self assessment phone service was closed for three months, opening on 4 September. HMRC has been piloting a new seasonal model for the self-assessment helpline by directing queries to the department\u2019s digital services. The intention was to enable 350 of HMRC’s staff to take urgent calls on other lines and answer outstanding customer correspondence. As such, the only method by which to make contact was via a letter. \u00a0Callers to that line being directed to use HMRC\u2019s online services including digital assistant and webchat.<\/p>\n

The Adjudicator (an independent tier of complaint handling for HMRC) states in its Office annual report 2023 that HMRC\u2019s complaints handling ‘has still not fully recovered from post pandemic disruption. Although recovered in areas there are still significant backlogs in others where high-volume complaints are not expected to recover until well into next year’<\/em>\u2013 hence the closure.<\/p>\n

HMRC has a complaints system that follows a tiered structure. To initiate a complaint an online form is completed detailing the reason for the complaint (HMRC confirms that around a third of complaints are made this way). Tier 1 is where HMRC will attempt to resolve the complaint by reviewing its records. HMRC allocates someone to deal with the complaint, advising the complainant of that person\u2019s contact details and who will subsequently advise of the outcome of the complaint. Currently correspondence is in writing but the intention is to move to phoning or emailing the complainant.<\/p>\n

HMRC states that the majority of complaints are resolved at Tier 1. However, if the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome, then the case is escalated to Tier 2.\u00a0 Approximately 7% of complaints are escalated to this level, where a different individual will review the complaint.<\/p>\n

If the taxpayer remains unsatisfied with the outcome after the Tier 2 review, the next level is to ask for the Adjudicator\u2019s Office (AO) to review the complaint. Being independent, their work is restricted as they can only consider and rule on specific types of complaints detailed in the 2018 Guidance as being:<\/p>\n