Reform UK HMRC Tax Rebate Policy: £30 Credit Proposed for Long Call Waits

Reform UK has proposed giving taxpayers a £30 tax credit if they are forced to wait more than 30 minutes for HMRC to answer the phone, as part of a wider package aimed at changing how the tax authority deals with individuals and small businesses.

The Reform UK HMRC tax rebate policy, announced by the party’s Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick at a press conference in London, would effectively compensate taxpayers when HM Revenue and Customs fails to answer within half an hour.

How Would Reform UK’s £30 HMRC Tax Credit Work?

Under the proposal, a taxpayer who waits longer than 30 minutes to speak to HMRC would receive £30 off their tax bill.

The party’s official policy announcement describes the measure as a £30 tax credit for anyone waiting more than 30 minutes and says the pay of senior HMRC officials would also be linked to customer-service performance.

However, some important details are clearer in reporting surrounding the announcement than on Reform’s main policy page.

The Independent reports that claims would be limited to two occasions in each tax year, while The Sun reports that the credit would only be available to people who have tax to pay. That would potentially limit the maximum benefit to £60 per taxpayer per tax year.

That distinction matters. Despite some headlines describing the policy as an HMRC “rebate”, it is not the same as claiming back tax that has been overpaid.

HMRC’s existing tax-refund system remains separate and allows taxpayers to seek repayments where they have paid too much Income Tax or tax through Self Assessment.

Are HMRC Phone Waiting Times Really Above 30 Minutes?

Reform’s proposal comes after years of criticism of HMRC customer-service delays, but the latest figures show that waiting times have recently improved.

HMRC says the average telephone wait during April to June 2026 was 11 minutes and 35 seconds, while 87.9% of callers seeking an adviser got through. For the full 2025/26 year, the average wait was 12 minutes and 35 seconds, down from 18 minutes and 38 seconds the previous year.

That means Reform’s 30-minute threshold is considerably above the current average, although callers can still experience substantially longer waits at busy periods or when dealing with more complicated tax matters.

HMRC told reporters its service had “improved significantly”, pointing to average waits of around 11 minutes and increasing use of digital services.

What Else Is Reform UK Proposing on Tax?

The £30 HMRC credit forms only one part of Reform UK’s new small-business package.

The party has also proposed raising the VAT registration threshold from £90,000 to £150,000, removing Income Tax from qualifying overtime, reversing changes to employer National Insurance and widening tax advantages available through the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme.

Reform says the HMRC compensation scheme could give the tax authority a financial incentive to improve its service.

The Sun reports that the party estimates the measure could initially cost around £70 million a year, with the cost falling if waiting times improve.

Labour has criticised Reform’s wider economic announcement, arguing that the party has not provided enough detail on how some of its proposals would operate.

For London taxpayers and the capital’s large population of soletraders, freelancers and small-business owners, the proposal is likely to attract attention. But for now, there is no £30 HMRC rebate available for being left on hold.

It remains a Reform UK policy proposal and would require the party to enter government and implement the scheme before taxpayers could claim it.