Reform proposes £30 tax rebate for HMRC phone delays

Politician Robert Jenrick has unveiled a new policy during a media briefing in central London, proposing that under a Reform UK government, taxpayers forced to wait on hold with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for more than half an hour would receive a £30 credit off their tax bills.

Addressing the issue of prolonged waiting times, Jenrick argued that the current situation is deeply frustrating for working individuals. To prevent any potential exploitation of the system, the proposed tax credit for telephone delays would be strictly capped at two occasions per given tax year per person.

In response to the proposal, a spokesperson for HMRC maintained that customer service performance has seen substantial improvements over the past couple of years, noting that average call wait times now hover around 11 minutes while roughly 80% of customer interactions are handled digitally.

"If HMRC delay, they can repay."

Robert Jenrick

This political pledge follows a highly critical report published in January 2025 by the Public Accounts Committee, which accused HMRC of attempting to degrade its telephone services to push taxpayers toward digital alternatives—an accusation that was strongly rejected by the agency's previous leadership.

Source: BBC Politics