PCS responds to U-turn on closure of HMRC helpline

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union welcomes a rapid U-turn by HMRC on closing an important customer helpline.

On Tuesday (19 March) the government announced that it would close HMRC's tax helpline for half of the year.

Under pressure from PCS, HMRC yesterday shelved their plans to close the helpline with immediate effect.

Responding to this U-turn, PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said:

“PCS welcomes HMRC’s decision to reinstate the customer helpline. Perhaps the department now agrees with us that you don’t improve customer services by cutting them.

“HMRC and the Treasury must recognise that the real answer to their customer service problems lies in employing enough skilled advisers and retaining them by paying them a decent wage. There’s no short-cut, this is the only way HMRC can provide a better level of service to the public.”

For more information, see the government announcement: HMRC helpline changes halted - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)