The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) found that average call waiting times had soared to over 23 minutes, nearly doubling in two years.

The cross-party committee’s report highlighted a dramatic increase in calls being terminated after a 70-minute wait, suggesting a deliberate attempt to push people towards digital channels. In the first 11 months of the 2023-24 tax year, over 43,000 calls were cut off after 70 minutes, a 535% increase from the previous year. HMRC answered only 66.4% of calls, falling far short of its 85% target.

MPs on the committee argue that this strategy has damaged public trust in the tax system. However, HMRC chief executive Jim Harra told The Guardian that “the committee’s claims about our customer service are completely baseless”. He pointed to recent improvements, stating that call wait times have decreased by 17 minutes since April of last year.

He added: “We will always be there to answer the phone for those who need extra help. At the same time, more than 80% of customers are satisfied with our digital services, with more and more using them to quickly and easily manage their tax affairs.”

HMRC claims its latest figures show average waiting times have fallen to about 11 minutes.