End the Revenue and Customs phone-charge rip off demands Assembly Member (Eleanor Burnham )

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Eleanor Burnham <info@eburnham.org.uk>

End the Revenue and Customs phone-charge rip off demands Assembly Member

January 31, 2011 2:23 PM

The Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for North Wales, Eleanor Burnham has called on the government to act to prevent the Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and other government agencies from disadvantaging vulnerable people who have to contact them on 0845 numbers.

Although calls to 0800 numbers from landlines are free, those using mobile phones have to pay. However, there is a huge amount of confusion about how much is charged for calling 0845 numbers.

"Calls from a mobile phone to an 0845 number can be as much as 40p a minute," said Eleanor Burnham. "People on low incomes often do not have a landline and use a mobile phone as their only communication tool. As the tax authorities insist upon calls to them being made on 0845 numbers most of the time, this means the worse off are paying more to sort out their tax problems. This cannot be right.

"Ofcom are consulting on their suggested changes to this situation now. Among other things they propose that 0800 numbers should be free to call from all phones including mobiles, and that the rules on 0845 numbers should be changed so the exact amount of the charges are made clear. The consultation ends in March of this year. Ministers should then take swift action to implement these very sensible proposals and protect vulnerable people."