A taxpayer has been forced to make seven separate phone calls to HM Revenue and Customs before finally receiving a £500 tax refund, in a case that underscores growing frustrations with the authority's customer service operations.
Excessive Calls and Conflicting Information
Dawn-Maria France, aged 57, is one of many individuals who have encountered significant difficulties when attempting to secure refunds from both the Labour Party government and the taxman. Her experience reveals systemic problems within HMRC's current service framework.
"My experience with HMRC has been disappointing," Ms. France told the I paper. "While I used to expect to reach someone who could eventually answer my enquiry, recent calls have been infuriating. It now feels nearly impossible to get through, and the hold times are excessive."
During her protracted efforts to resolve the issue, Ms. France reported receiving conflicting information from different HMRC representatives across multiple calls. "It wasn't until my seventh call that I finally got the correct details and resolved my issue," she explained.
Widespread Service Challenges Confirmed
HMRC's own service updates acknowledge that claims for repayment of tax from employment or pensions, dating back to January 2025, are still being processed. This backlog is creating considerable delays for taxpayers across the country.
A second taxpayer, Connor, a 30-year-old freelance producer from London, echoed these concerns. "What makes that worse is how unclear it is what you can actually claim back," he stated. "There's very little plain-English guidance, so you're left second-guessing everyday expenses and worrying whether you're underclaiming."
Connor added that contacting HMRC for assistance has become "an extensive task with often long wait times," leaving individuals to navigate a complex system without adequate support.
Professional Bodies Highlight Systemic Issues
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales has weighed in on the situation, noting that "significant backlogs" are negatively impacting both businesses and individuals. According to the ICAEW, HMRC's focus on meeting response targets for current claims has resulted in older requests being deprioritised and left at the back of the queue.
HMRC's Response to Service Concerns
In response to these allegations, an HMRC spokesperson stated: "We're unable to verify these details or comment on them without permission from the customers, as taxpayer confidentiality is protected by law, but we successfully handle tens of millions of calls every year and average wait times are down 30 per cent on last year."
The spokesperson continued: "Of the millions of tax refund claims we receive each year, the vast majority are paid promptly but some cases can take longer, including where we need to take additional steps to protect customers from fraud."
This case highlights ongoing challenges within HMRC's customer service operations, with taxpayers reporting excessive wait times, confusing guidance, and inconsistent information from representatives. The situation raises important questions about the efficiency and accessibility of tax administration services for ordinary citizens.
