HMRC TC intermediaries line - not available?

Hope all had a good break and here we are again.

I was trying to contact the TC intermediaries helpline on Friday 23rd and the usual recorded message plays then says “thank you for calling - goodbye”.

Same again today.

Didn’t see anything to say what their closure was over the Xmas period so assumed just the bank holidays - does anyone know about this?

Hello
I believe a lot of the DWP/HMRC offices have an extra day - effectively the Bank Holiday Tuesday - but as Xmas day fell on Sunday then Tuesday was the new Sunday. So they get Wednesday as well. They should be back in tomorrow.
Pre 1/4/2003 many local authority staff also had the Bank Holiday Tuesday. It was then removed and replaced with five days leave to be taken when you wish.

Hi Julie

Thanks - yes I started in LA back in 1995 so I recall - but I was surprised by no answer on Friday - and also no recorded message on intermediaries announcing when they would reopen.

Will try again tomorrow

Tried yesterday and again today - the message plays in full (re diverse team etc) and says, “please stay on the line we will put you through to the next available adviser” - then “thank you for calling - goodbye”.

The last time this happened it was human error - switching the phones off

For what it’s worth I phoned them the week before Xmas and they answered straight away so hopefully will work for you next week.

Tom B (WRAMAS) - 30 December 2022 01:55 PM

For what it’s worth I phoned them the week before Xmas and they answered straight away so hopefully will work for you next week.

Thanks Tom

Unfortunately not working today either.

I sent an email via the contact us on revenuebenefits but got (quite reasonably) their out of office replies.

On the 30th I tried the normal helpline and gave up after 30 minutes on hold.

Happy New Year!

Try the agent line, they should be happy to speak to you.

J Bathie - 03 January 2023 02:44 PM

Tom B (WRAMAS) - 30 December 2022 01:55 PM

For what it’s worth I phoned them the week before Xmas and they answered straight away so hopefully will work for you next week.

Thanks Tom

Unfortunately not working today either.

I sent an email via the contact us on revenuebenefits but got (quite reasonably) their out of office replies.

On the 30th I tried the normal helpline and gave up after 30 minutes on hold.

Happy New Year!

 

We have picked this up from Rev Ben and have raised with HMRC - i’ll post an update as soon as we hear back.

LITRG - 04 January 2023 09:24 AM

J Bathie - 03 January 2023 02:44 PM

Tom B (WRAMAS) - 30 December 2022 01:55 PM

For what it’s worth I phoned them the week before Xmas and they answered straight away so hopefully will work for you next week.

Thanks Tom

Unfortunately not working today either.

I sent an email via the contact us on revenuebenefits but got (quite reasonably) their out of office replies.

On the 30th I tried the normal helpline and gave up after 30 minutes on hold.

Happy New Year!

 

We have picked this up from Rev Ben and have raised with HMRC - i’ll post an update as soon as we hear back.

Thanks - we used to have an escalation point within HMRC one of our team managers was able to use but that was lost pre-pandemic so I imagined you were the best people to contact

I’d completely forgotten there was an intermediaries line; so rarely do I deal with Tax Credits. Would anyone care to message me with the number?

Ta

See here:

https://revenuebenefits.org.uk/tax-credits/guidance/how-to-deal-with-hmrc/acting-on-behalf-of-someone-else/intermediaries/#Intermediaries%20helpline

Agent line info is here:

https://revenuebenefits.org.uk/tax-credits/guidance/how-to-deal-with-hmrc/acting-on-behalf-of-someone-else/agents/

Hi all

Just a quick update. HMRC have checked the line and found there is a fault on the intermediaries line. They have raised with their suppliers. They said they would let us know when its back up and running so i’ll post an update when that happens.

LITRG

Pleased to report I finally got through this morning - as it was a member of staff I don’t know (spoken to others many times) I got no response to the line being faulty thing - (she sounded like she was new and unaware).

Ridiculously pleased to finally listen to their on hold music again at last (for a very brief time!)

I was just about to post that HMRC confirmed this afternoon it is now back up and running!

LITRG

Just to let you know - when I called again today the agent on the intermediaries’ helpline read out a statement regarding knowingly giving false info could lead to a financial penalty.

This is the first time that has happened - and when I reflected this the member of staff (another new one to me)  just kept saying - oh it’s something we do.

Anyone else had this?

Are you sure you are being put through to the intermediaries team, and not to the regular helpline?