1.1 million unanswered HMRC calls as MTD panic sets in
Self-employed workers are flooding the internet for Making Tax Digital (MTD) guidance as HMRC helplines fall short, leaving many scrambling for answers ahead of the 2026 rollout.
New analysis by RIFT reveals a sharp spike in online search activity around MTD for Income Tax Self Assessment (ITSA), just as HMRC’s ability to respond to phone queries appears to be declining.
According to the findings, an estimated 1.1 million calls to HMRC went unanswered across January and February this year, a critical period during which average wait times more than doubled.
The report shows that while interest in MTD remained steady through 2024, the first five months of 2025 brought an information surge.
Monthly Google searches for “Making Tax Digital” averaged 19,819 in Q1 (with a 34,017 spike in March) and have since soared to 43,648 per month across April and May.
At the same time, HMRC contact centre performance has faltered. In January 2025, only 82.3% of calls were handled, dropping to 80.9% in February, the lowest in six months.
And as demand surged, the number of missed calls hit 599,057 in January and 516,629 in February. The average time to get through? Just over 21 minutes, double the 10 minutes 40 seconds reported in October 2024.
The numbers underscore growing anxiety among the self-employed. From April 2026, all individuals earning over £50,000 through self-employment or property will be required to keep digital records and submit quarterly returns via MTD-compliant software.
For many, this represents not just a technical shift, but an administrative and financial burden — one that’s proving difficult to navigate without timely support.
Bradley Post, Managing Director at RIFT, says HMRC is struggling to meet the moment:
“It’s clear that the changes on the horizon as a result of Making Tax Digital are already at the forefront of many self-employed business owners. Unfortunately, HMRC simply isn’t equipped to facilitate the surge in demand for its guidance and advice… many are having to seek their own answers via the internet.”
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With penalties for non-compliance and missed submissions looming, Post urges businesses to act early and seek external advice:
“Working closely with an accountant or tax specialist ahead of the April 2026 deadline can make the transition smoother and help avoid penalties.”
The shift to MTD is one of the most significant tax reforms in recent history. But as this week’s data makes clear, a digital tax system is only as strong as the support structure behind it, and for now, that foundation looks increasingly under strain.
