HMRC have been slammed by the National Audit Office (NAO) for shoddy customer service that cost callers – one in four of whom couldn’t even get through – £136m in 2011–12.
The NAO’s damning report found that taxpayers shelled out £33m in call charges, many clocking up huge bills on costly premium rate numbers even while they were waiting in a queue for the call to be connected.
The Government spending watchdog estimated that the value of ‘customers’ time while on the telephone to HMRC was £103m, based on a £15 an hour wage.