HMRC fails to pick up 83 million taxpayers calls: Wendy Chamberlain MP demands fast-track support for pensioners
Wendy Chamberlain, Liberal Democrat MP for North East Fife, has demanded the creation of a new “Retiree Red Phone” hotline for pensioners, after new figures revealed that more than 80 million calls to HMRC have gone unanswered over the last decade.
Research by the House of Commons Library, commissioned by the party’s Trade and Investment Spokesperson Joshua Reynolds MP, shows that one in five calls to HMRC went unanswered in the last decade, leaving taxpayers across North East Fife without support.
In 2024/25 alone, more than six million calls went unanswered - more than 17,000 people every day on average unable to get help from the tax service.
The Liberal Democrats are warning that, with the state pension now just £22 away from the income tax threshold, thousands more retirees could soon be dragged into paying tax for the first time. But with HMRC’s customer service in crisis, many may struggle to get advice or information they desperately need
The party is calling for a dedicated “Retiree Red Phone” hotline to give pensioners a direct, reliable route to HMRC support, especially for those less comfortable using online systems.
One 82 year old constituent relies on phone calls as his eyesight is declining, but has been forced to give up several times after being on hold for more than an hour. Another constituent shared how he always fills out HMRC’s customer feedback forms, but there has been no improvement in the service provided. He feels that his feedback goes unheard.
Wendy Chamberlain, Liberal Democrat MP for North East Fife, said: “It’s completely unacceptable that people across North East Fife can’t get through to HMRC when they need help the most. Pensioners trying to make sense of their tax, small businesses trying to get payroll right, all are being left waiting on hold for hours, or simply cut off.
“After years of neglect, HMRC has been driven into the ground. Now, as more pensioners are pushed to the brink of paying income tax, they’re being left without support.
“The Government should act now and launch a ‘Retiree Red Phone’ hotline so pensioners can finally get through to someone who can help. People in North East Fife deserve better than being left in the dark by a system that no longer works.”