Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services
Treasury
Andrew Griffiths (Burton, Conservative)
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost of calling the 0845 3000627 HM Revenue and Customs hotline number is from (a) a BT landline, (b) a pay-as-you-go mobile telephone and (c) a contract mobile telephone.
David Gauke (Exchequer Secretary, HM Treasury; South West Hertfordshire, Conservative)
I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to Fiona Mactaggart on
Annotations
David Hickson
Posted on 13 Jun 2012 7:44 pm (Report this annotation)
Mr Gauke would do better to refer to published telephone tariffs, as summarised briefly with reference to the calls in question at http://tiny.cc/FT_HMRC0845, and addressed more comprehensively at http://www.fairtelecoms.org.uk/when-are-084-calls-more-expen....
The answer of 19 October 2011 to which he refers (http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2011-10-19c.72977.h#...) was incorrect in that it attempted to suggest that the type of device and location (within the UK) has a bearing on the cost of a call.
He was however perfectly correct to state that The provision of a 0345 number is expected to result in significant cost savings for the majority of callers to the line.
This is because, for a average duration call of 15'35" to the 0845 numbers:
a) a BT landline user on the BT Basic (social) tariff pays 66p, as against zero for the 0345 number.
b) a PAYG mobile user pays up to £6.40 (on T-Mobile), a potential surcharge of up to £3.12 over the cost of the same call to the 0345 number.
c) a PAYG contract user pays up to £6.39 (on Virgin Mobile), whereas a call to the 0345 number would be included in a bundle or unlimited allowance.
There is no justification for the continuing failure of HMRC to cease benefiting from subsidy at the expense of callers and also causing them to incur additional charges to the benefit of the telephone companies.
The simple expedient measure of providing the 0345 equivalent for every published 0845 number must be adopted without further delay. Hanging on to 26p for each call will not pay off the deficit, especially as an additional cost to callers which is generally measured in pounds will not help proper engagement with the tax authorities.
This is the most foolish and unjust form of penny-pinching.
(see also http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2012-05-21a.108353.h...)