A number of red old-fashioned phone handsets are dangling by their wires against a grey backdrop

HMRC phone lines and multiple clients

20 August, 2024

One of the questions we are often asked by members is how many clients they can reasonably ask HMRC call handlers to deal with in a single call. This is relevant for a number of reasons, not least that it can take significant time on hold before the member can get through to a call handler. HMRC shared the following on the Agent Forum (thread Others-48823) earlier this year which members may find helpful when speaking to HMRC’s call handlers.  

“Due to Health and Safety Regulations, our advisers can spend no longer than an hour at a time on the phone.

“We’re encouraging our colleagues to tell you at the beginning of your call how long they have until their next health and safety break so that you can work together to progress as many of your clients as possible in the time available.

“Please feel free to ask your adviser how long they have if they don’t offer this information.

“We would appeal to you to be pragmatic in what you can achieve in the time available, particularly if you have complex cases.”  

 

Please let us know at [email protected] if you find that this approach is not being followed in practice.  To follow up with HMRC we will need details of 

  • The HMRC line you called

  • The number you dialled from

  • The date and time of the call