Contacting HM Revenue and Customs

[bananaskin123]

DH has spent most of the day trying to get through. He gave up this morning after an hour, tried this afternoon, eventually got through to a message and was told they were not taking any more calls today. He wanted to speak about a tax question that only they will know the answer to. The number we have is 0300 200 3300. Has anyone been lucky to get through on another number which they wouldn't mind divulging. Its sooo frustrating. He'd like, if poss, to speak to a real person if he can.

Call their overseas number and they’ll answer much quicker.

They have a web chat that could possibly sort it for you? Seems a lot easier than trying to phone them at the moment whenever I've tried to contact them :)

I tried last week and was on hold for 40 minutes and gave up. Saw the web chat link, used it and my query was dealt with within 10 minutes, so think web chat is the way to go!

My mum was told by the pay roll person at her old workplace that the only way she'd got through was by ringing at eight on the dot. Pointless otherwise!

My job involves making calls to HMRC, before Covid 19 I would manage 30 a day easily. I have managed 6 this week, 6.
The best time is 8am. They now close at 4pm.
If you are in the queue it will drop you after 45 mins.
Many of their staff have also been seconded to the Self Employment grant scheme so not manning the normal lines.

I have an agents helpline phone number and this week I have had to try first thing in the morning to get an answer in under an hour. In normal times they answer in seconds. The VAT was even worse, after 5 minutes of menus and warnings I got the message "sorry we are currently closed" and they hung up! This was 11 in the morning.

Its the times. Not that it helps you.

@Kez200 I’m an agent too, we were told the agent line/the general public line were one and the same now!

@maddiemookins16mum

Ahh, that would explain the sheer difference. Hope they return to normal eventually! Hold music is sending me barmy!