HMRC is putting on hold most of its webchat services for three months from Tuesday 4 January 2022
HMRC will use this time to fully review HMRC services to make sure HMRC is helping taxpayers in the most effective way possible.
Webchat is effective when HMRC uses it to answer simple queries, which supports taxpayers to use HMRC digital services.
Supporting taxpayers with complex queries has proven to be inefficient - for example, supporting PAYE, taxpayers with coding queries takes 84% longer via webchat than it does over the phone. Other examples include payments in child benefit and registrations in VAT both taking around 50% longer.
Webchat is most effective when HMRC uses it to educate and coach taxpayers in using HMRC digital tools, and this is what HMRC needs to build on. HMRC will use this pause to fully review HMRC services to make sure HMRC is helping taxpayers in the most effective way possible.