HMRC has responded to a man who was frustrated in his efforts to pay a capital gains tax bill after he waited on the helpline for 75 minutes and was then cut off.
The taxpayer contacted the authority over X to ask for help earlier today (March 4). He said: “How can I pay capital gains tax when the website tells me to ring you and, after 75 minutes on hold, you tell me that you are too busy to answer my call and hang up? I want to sort this as I need to settle by Wednesday.”
A representative responded to ask which number he had called and if he was using the real time reporting service.
The man said he had called the 0300 200 3300 number and said: “I am trying to contact HMRC to help me to pay CGT. Simple task made very difficult by your systems.”
The tax authority clarified that they need to know if he was using the real-time reporting service to declare the tax he needed to pay as a result of a self-assessment declaration.
He then responded: “I have tried to use the website, identifying myself twice using the flashing coloured thing and then it told me to register using my original registration information but didn’t tell me what that was.
“It then told me to call in, which I did for 75 minutes. You hung up.”
HMRC then said he would need to keep trying on the helpline, adding that the best time to call is between 8am and 9am Monday to Friday.
The man then explained that he had tried through the real-time reporting service section of the Government website.
He told the representative: “I identified myself, got a number etc. and then it told me to use my original sign in information.
“I have no idea what that is and it said to call in. I’m still waiting yet again. I am trying to pay tax.”
People expecting to have a capital gains tax bill to pay in the coming tax year may want to note the threshold for paying the tax is reducing from the current £6,000 to £3,000.
The allowance came down previously from £12,300 to £6,000 at the start of the current tax year, after the reductions were announced in the 2022 Autumn Statement.
Laith Khalaf, head of investment analysis at AJ Bell, criticised the cut in the allowance as the tax will hit those with “modest annual gains”.
He said: “The Chancellor could instead have chosen to raise revenue by increasing CGT rates in line with income tax rates.
“That would have shifted the burden onto those with larger gains, while allowing everyone a modest sum of £12,300 of gains they can make each year without facing capital gains tax.
“Basic and higher rate taxpayers with annual gains under £21,600 would have been better off under this arrangement, as would top rate taxpayers with annual gains under £19,740.”
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