On Thursday, HMRC experienced a temporary outage of its telephone helplines, which began around 11:40 am and lasted until services were fully restored at 2:15 pm.
The tax authority confirmed that a technical problem was to blame for the suspension, which affected general enquiries as well as the dedicated self-assessment line.
During the outage, taxpayers were urged to make use of HMRC’s online platforms, including digital chat and account management tools. HMRC has emphasised the increasing role of digital services to manage demand and improve response times, but acknowledged that a proportion of taxpayers continue to rely on telephone support.
Restoration and public response
Once the helplines were restored, HMRC issued a public statement, confirming, “We’ve now reopened our helplines including for self-assessment. We thank people for their patience and are sorry for the inconvenience.”
The apology has been seen as necessary in the context of the millions of individuals required to file by the end of January. The timing of the outage, so close to the annual deadline, attracted criticism from several public and consumer advocacy figures.
Jenny Ross, Money editor at Which?, stated the disruption was “hugely frustrating to those needing help with their tax returns, and particularly disruptive to those unable to use digital services.”
Self-assessment filing deadline approaches
The self-assessment tax return deadline falls on 31 January, a date affecting millions of self-employed people, landlords and others with untaxed income.
According to figures released by HMRC on 5 January, more than 6.36 million people had already filed their self-assessment returns, while approximately 5.65 million had yet to do so.
This period is traditionally marked by high volumes of enquiries from taxpayers, many seeking clarification or technical support to complete their filings. Pressure on HMRC’s infrastructure often spikes, placing additional stress on both telephone and online services.
Penalties for late submission
Taxpayers who fail to submit their self-assessment return by the 31 January deadline face an automatic £100 late filing penalty, as stipulated in HMRC’s published rules. Further penalties and interest may be added if the delay continues.
HMRC has urged individuals unable to file on time, for valid reasons, to make contact as soon as possible. The tax authority considers appeals on a case-by-case basis if extenuating circumstances prevented timely submission.
Digital alternatives and accessibility concerns
HMRC has invested significantly in online resources, encouraging taxpayers to use digital accounts and support channels for both enquiries and submissions. However, concerns remain regarding accessibility, particularly for those less comfortable with technology or who have complex queries.
Advocacy groups highlight the potential impact of technical outages on vulnerable individuals. The outage has prompted renewed calls for robust contingency arrangements to ensure equitable access to necessary support.
HMRC support for those facing difficulties
Officials at HMRC have reiterated their commitment to handling cases with legitimate reasons for late filing “sympathetically,” according to recent statements. Taxpayers are encouraged to notify the department before 31 January if they anticipate missing the deadline, ensuring their cases receive due consideration.
The department has also broadened its web-based help options and provided dedicated sections on its website for common self-assessment queries, designed to ease pressure on helplines during the busy filing period.
Final Summary
With millions facing the self-assessment deadline and potential fines, HMRC’s brief helpline outage has focused attention on the challenges many encounter when accessing timely support.
While services resumed rapidly and an apology was issued, discussions continue around the adequacy of online alternatives and the need for reliable support, particularly for vulnerable users.
As the 31 January deadline approaches, taxpayers are reminded of available digital resources, the importance of proactive communication with HMRC, and the possible financial implications of late filing. For users seeking clarity on tax matters, digital tools like Pie can offer useful support during busy tax periods.
