Public will be able to make digital HMRC complaints from August

The chair of the Treasury Committee, Nicky Morgan, has today welcomed the move by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to let the public make complaints about its decisions digitally.

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Earlier this month Morgan said her and the Committee, which scrutinises the Treasury department, “were astonished to learn” that the public could not complain about HMRC decisions to the Adjudicator’s Office (AO) online.

Members of the public can escalate their complaints about HMRC and the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to the AO to get an impartial hearing, but can currently only do so on the phone or by post or fax.

From August, however, HMRC will provide services so that customers can complain using email and other digital channels, following pressure from the Treasury Committee.

People can complain to the AO for a variety of reasons including if they think they have been taxed too much, if there have been unreasonably delays, or if they have been given poor or misleading advice.

Morgan said: “The AO plays a valuable role in resolving complaints against HMRC, yet many people are unaware of its existence. And of those people who are aware, it can be a struggle for them to get in touch with the AO.”

She said: “As the Adjudicator told the Committee, the lack of digital access to the AO’s service is not defendable.”

“Public-facing services simply have to be digitally accessible these days. Whilst it is astonishing in this day and age to say this, HMRC’s long-overdue commitment to provide a digital channel for the public to contact the AO is welcome,” she added.