Paying a premium to speak with the taxman.

"The taxpayers and claimants who phone HMRC do not have a choice about whether they interact with the department. Despite some welcome improvements, HMRC has acknowledged that its performance in providing services to the public has been unacceptable.

"HMRC faces difficult decisions about whether it should aspire to meet the service performance standards of a commercial organization. It could do only by spending significantly more money or becoming substantially more cost effective."

Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office, 18 December 2012

Last year in the region of £33 million was spent waiting on the phone to talk with the taxman. However an HMRC spokesman said it was 'determined to deliver the quality of service to which our customers are entitled.'

So how have they managed not to answer 25% of all calls with those who did get through having to wait an average of four minutes?

Here are some facts from the National Audit Office (NAO):

• 6.5million customers waited more than ten minutes to have their call answered;
• Customers are charged a premium rate as soon as their call is connected (or left in a queue!);
• One in four calls unanswered - 74% (20million calls 2011-2012);
• Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (Margaret Hodge) said taxpayers were getting a "substandard" performance;
• It's un-acceptable that HMRC uses 0845 number.

What can you do?

If you are due a tax refund then let us take the pain away of trying to communicate with the HMRC. We do all the hard work for you from checking your forms to managing your tax refund. Brilliantly  we then pay the money direct to your bank account where ever you are in the world.

Oh yes - call us on our freephone number 0800 071 6766.