HMRC Expands Automated SMS Service for Routine Queries
The UK’s tax department, HMRC, has announced the expansion of its automated SMS messaging scheme to cover routine queries. Following a successful trial in January, the service saw a significant increase in the number of taxpayer queries answered, as well as a faster response time. As a result, the tax department is now expanding the scheme to encourage more taxpayers to use digital services. During the trial, 38.7% of callers who received a text message did not need to call the department back within seven days.
From 4 May, taxpayers calling about routine queries such as child benefit entitlement documents, voluntary national insurance contributions, and marriage allowance can opt to receive a text message link or remain on the phone to speak to an operator.The expansion builds on the January trial, which redirected taxpayers to digital services if they needed help finding their unique taxpayer reference number,registering for HMRC online services,or if they had lost their online service password or user ID.
HMRC aims to be a “digital by default” organization, and the trial has been hailed as a success, giving taxpayers quicker service and freeing up operators to focus on more complex queries. The department praised the new SMS service for pointing people in the right direction, saving people from waiting on hold, and transforming and improving their digital services.
HMRC’s online services have been rated highly by users, with an overall satisfaction level above 80%. In the first two months of the trial, 180,000 taxpayers received SMS messages, while accountants have also been encouraged to use online services. However, HMRC noted that in February’s performance report, 2.4m calls were made to phone lines, with only 64.7% being connected to an adviser.
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