Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps has he taken to help ensure that people can easily contact HMRC on the matter of self- assessments.

January is the busiest time of the year for HMRC due to the Self-Assessment filing peak. Helplines are busy, and wait times are longer than usual.

HMRC encourages customers to check online instead of waiting on phonelines, saving them time and effort. The quickest and easiest way to manage tax affairs and answer queries is through the HMRC app or the personal tax account.

Customers can also go online to use HMRC’s digital assistant, guidance and helpsheets on GOV.UK, youtube videos and live webinars.

Every January, HMRC moves significant numbers of staff from other business areas to prioritise the Self-Assessment (SA) helpline to help people in the run up to the filing deadline.