Call waiting times at HMRC rise 350% in five years, says NAO report

Report from public spending watchdog comes soon after similar data from parliamentary committee

Average call waiting times at HM Revenue and Customs have soared by more than 350% in five years, with increasing numbers of people not getting through in the first place or having their calls terminated, according to an official report that says the public is being “let down”.

The National Audit Office (NAO) said the quality of customer service provided by HMRC had been “far below” the levels expected in recent years, and that its phone lines in particular were “not delivering”.