In this section:
- Find the most effective way to contact us
- Agent priority and dedicated lines
Find the most effective way to contact us
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is a large department handling a wide variety of tax and payment issues and there are a number of ways agents and advisers can contact us for transactions or to get help and support.
In most cases, you can:
- use our online services
- read guidance on our website
- call our helplines
- write to us
In some cases, you can also email us.
This guide will show you how to perform the transaction you require, get the information you need or find the quickest contact route if you need to get in touch with us for more detailed queries.
On this page:
- Personal Self Assessment (SA) matters or PAYE (Pay as You Earn) for individuals
- PAYE for employers and the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS)
- Corporation Tax
- VAT, excise and international trade
- Resolving problems
- Specialist departments and finding other contacts
Personal Self Assessment (SA) matters or PAYE (Pay as You Earn) for individuals
If you're dealing with a client's personal tax affairs, such as SA for individuals or partnerships or individuals' PAYE matters, you can:
- use our Online Services for routine transactions (such as changing contact details, making payments or checking refunds)
- contact us by phone
- contact us in writing through the post
Using online services
For clients who are in SA, you can:
- see your clients' statements online
- view their tax liabilities and the payments they've made
- make claims to reduce their payments on account
- change your client contact details online
- use the secure email service to send us queries and get replies
You need to be formally authorised by your client and have registered with our SA Online for Agents service to do this.
Use our SA Online for Agents service
If your query is more complex or concerns a PAYE-related matter for an individual client, you can check our website to find the answer to your query.
If you can't find the answer on our website, you can call our Contact Centres or write to us.
Using Contact Centres
Our Taxes Contact Centres can deal with taxpayer-specific queries from authorised agents. By phone you can update or discuss your client's:
- personal details
- employment details
- personal allowances
- expenses
- payment notifications
- notifications of benefits in kind, other earnings or income
- amendments to Self Assessment returns
- request for repayments, reduce payments on account or collection of tax payable through a PAYE code
You'll need to find the details of the Contact Centre that covers your client, using their details such as address, National Insurance number or employers' reference number.
Find your client's Contact Centre number
If the Contact Centre has an Agent Dedicated Line, which provides agents and advisers with a full and fast service, it's a good idea to use this line instead of the general number. These lines are being introduced across the country in phases over the next few months.
More details about Agent Dedicated Lines
While we can handle most general business, there are limits and specific exclusions to what we can do by phone.
Download guidance on the business we can carry out by phone (PDF 872K)
Using the post
If you query is particularly complex, you may prefer to deal with us by post. You should direct your letters to your client's Income Tax Office.
Find your client's Income Tax office
PAYE for employers and the Construction Industry Scheme
(CIS)
You can deal with PAYE for employers and CIS issues:
- through our online services
- by phone
You can also ask specific PAYE for employers queries via email.
Using online services
When you're authorised by clients to manage their PAYE or CIS responsibilities, you can use our PAYE Online for Agents service to:
- send a range of your clients' in-year forms online
- file your clients' Employer Annual Return (P14s and P35) online
- file your clients' monthly CIS returns online
- perform verifications for your CIS clients
- make electronic payments
Go to the PAYE Online for Agents service
If you have a query, you may be able to find the answer on our website.
Using the phone
If you have a specific query that you can't answer through our website, you can use our dedicated helplines for employers or CIS.
New Employer Helpline - for advice on PAYE matters for businesses starting to take on employees. Tel 0845 607 0143. Open Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 8.00 pm, Saturday and Sunday 8.00 am to 5.00 pm.
Employer Helpline - for expert advice for established employers on issues such as PAYE, Statutory Sick Pay, Maternity Pay, and the Construction Industry Scheme: Tel 0845 714 3143, open from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm, Monday to Friday, and from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm, Saturday and Sunday.
CIS Helpline - for guidance on managing CIS: Tel 0845 366 7899, open from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm, seven days a week.
Your local office will be able to assist with ongoing or complex matters related to the operation of PAYE.
Find your local office for PAYE matters
Using email
If you have a query about starting and finishing the tax year or Statutory Payments, you can email us and we will reply within two working days.
You can email us on a special form using the links below.
Starting or finishing the tax year
Remember that emailing us from our site is secure, but the nature of email means our reply to you is not. Therefore our email reply will not contain confidential information. If we need to, we will email you to explain that we will be replying fully by letter or phone.
Corporation Tax
If you are authorised by your client and registered with the Corporation Tax for Agents online service, you can use the service to:
- view your client's payments and liabilities
- change your contact details and
- if your client is an incorporated business, change their contact details
You can find guidance about Corporation Tax and company tax returns that may answer any questions on our website.
If your query is more complex, you can phone or write to the office that handles your client's Corporation Tax. You can find the address and phone number on any letters we have written to you about your client. Alternatively, you can find your client's Corporation Tax office through our Contact Us tool.
Find your client's Corporation Tax office
VAT, Excise and International trade
For VAT, Excise and International trade issues, you can contact us:
- through our online services
- by phone
- by email
- by post
depending on the nature of your enquiry.
VAT management
You can use our VAT Online service to register clients for VAT and manage their VAT affairs.
Find out more about VAT Online for agents
If you are returning completed paper VAT returns, they should be sent to:
VAT Controller
VAT Central Unit
BX5 5AT
VAT and excise questions
If you need advice on VAT, you can check our website for guidance.
If you require guidance on specific issues, you can:
- call the National Advice Service Tel 0845 010 9000
- email us
- write to us
Contact details for VAT, customs, excise and duty queries
Resolving problems
If you encounter problems with any aspect of HMRC service, there are escalation and complaints schemes in each area of our business. Check with the office you have been dealing with to find out more about how you can escalate an issue or make a complaint.
Download guidance on how to make a complaint (PDF 264K)
However, in parallel with the existing procedures, we are trialing the positions of Agent Account Managers and Customer Relations Managers in specific areas of the country.
If you have been dealing with the Agent Account Managers from the initial pilots in Edinburgh and Ipswich, you can continue to do so.
If you have an issue that you're finding difficult to resolve through the normal channels, you may be able to get a Customer Relations Manager to help you. We have started to pilot these positions in five areas. If you are in the Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle or Liverpool areas, you can get help resolving problems from:
Cardiff area (including Newport and Llandrindrod Wells): Adrian Jones Tel 02920 326105
Glasgow area (including Paisley, Greenock, Gourock, Motherwell, Airdrie and Hamilton): Bob Gilchrist Tel 01355 275897
Manchester area (including Stockport, Bolton, Bury and Blackburn): Christine Hiscox Tel 0161 261 3761
Newcastle area (including Darlington, Carlisle, Sunderland, Durham, postcodes DH1-DH9 and Berwick upon Tweed, postcode TD15): Stewart Wight Tel 0191 383 7047.
Liverpool area (including Chester): Dave Stewart Tel 0151 300 1575
This service is available to all agents in these areas, regardless of where their clients' records are held.
If you are outside of these areas, you won't be able to use these services. However, we hope to introduce Customer Relations Managers in more regions over the next few months. We'll publish details in the News for agents and advisers section of the site - so keep an eye out to see when the Customer Relations Managers are introduced to your area.
Check the latest news for agents and advisers
Specialist departments and finding other contacts
Sometimes you may need guidance from specialist teams within HMRC, such as:
- Charities
- Capital Gains Tax
- Debt Management
- Expatriates
- Money Laundering Regulations
- Residency
- Inheritance Tax
- National Insurance
- Trusts
- Shares and asset valuation
- Stamp Taxes
- Tariff Classification
- CHIEF
If you're looking for contact details for these specialist departments or any other part of HMRC, use our Contact Us tool.
