MPs, some civil servants and other high-profile figures are having their calls to HM Revenue and Customs answered up to 12 times faster than the general public because they are able to access a “VIP” hotline. As a report found that customer service levels at HMRC have sunk to an “all-time low”, with users regularly encountering long call-waiting times, it has emerged that certain individuals are able to beat the queues by using a little-known fast-track helpline called “Public Department 1” (PD1). The average “speed of answer” for a member of the public calling to speak to someone at HMRC about their tax affairs was a little over 22 minutes in November and December 2023, according to the latest available figures. However, the average wait time for those able to avail themselves of the PD1 hotline was less than three minutes during the period July to December last year. In November it was just one minute and 53 seconds, rising to two minutes and 54 seconds in December.
Sarah Olney MP, the Liberal Democrats’ Treasury spokesperson, said: “This Conservative government has left HMRC terribly underfunded and understaffed, just like so many other public services. “These incredibly long wait times will be piling unnecessary stress on to people … Now we know there is a VIP lane for HMRC calls, allowing a privileged few to skip the queue to discuss their tax problems.” HMRC’s PD1 data did show that the average wait time has sometimes been a lot longer than two to three minutes: in March 2023 it was 10 minutes and 45 seconds. An HMRC spokesperson said: “PD1 is a dedicated helpline for those who need a greater level of protection due to their identity or job. It has nothing to do with people’s wealth.” They added that PD1 records were held separately, with only a small number of staff able to access them, and there were usually seven people answering calls to this helpline. MPs are among those able to use the hotline, on the grounds that their tax affairs can be more complex, and also for security reasons. It is also open to some civil servants, though it is understood that the vast majority do not use the PD1 helpline. A report by the cross-party public accounts committee published on Wednesday found that in 2022-23, 62% of callers waited more than 10 minutes to speak to an adviser – up from 46% the previous year. On average, it took a little more than 16 minutes for someone to answer the phone – up from a little more than 12 minutes in 2021–22.