HMRC struggling to cope as customer service levels hit ‘all-time low’

New report notes ‘continued decline’ and rising call-waiting times as ‘fiscal drag’ pulls growing numbers of people into an ailing system

Customer service levels at HM Revenue and Customs have sunk to an “all-time low”, parliament’s spending watchdog has said.

Users regularly encounter long call-waiting times as the tax department apparently struggles to cope with demand, a report by the cross-party public accounts committee (PAC) has found.