Concerns have been raised for self-employed agents following the closure of HMRC helplines.

With the self-assessment deadline of 31 January approaching, agents could face difficulty in obtaining official advice with the shutting down of many of the tax authority’s phone services due to “technical issues”.

Tommy Mcnally, CEO of tax refund app company Tommys Tax, said there is a clear gap in tax knowledge and the returns process, and the HMRC system failures could see it widen.

“The continuous changes to the tax system – from September’s disastrous mini-Budget to the Autumn Statement – have caused wait times to soar when contacting HMRC at a time when many have questions about the process ahead of the January deadline,” Mcnally commented.

A recent study by Tommys Tax found that 50% of Brits admitted that the cost-of-living crisis is severely crippling their personal finances and are in desperate need for any form of refund in the current climate. With many forced to tighten their purse strings in the face of soaring living, energy and mortgage costs, Mcnally believes there is a lack of support provided to self-employed workers in the UK who are likely to be most affected by HMRC’s technical problems.

“With around £20bn of unclaimed tax left on the table every year, a majority of taxpayers will be looking for rebates as an urgent lifeline to alleviate their financial strain – meaning that it’s more important than ever to stay well-informed in relation to the entire process and what this means for your taxes,” he added.