HMRC Contact Numbers (2026): Helplines by Topic, Opening Hours and Scam Checks

HMRC doesn't have one phone number. It has dozens of helplines, each for a different tax, and calling the wrong one means another queue. This page lists the main HMRC phone numbers for individuals, the self-employed and small businesses, copied from GOV.UK and checked on October 2026. Each one is linked to its official page so you can confirm it before you dial. You'll also find opening hours, the quieter times HMRC itself suggests, what to have ready, faster online alternatives, and how to tell whether a call claiming to be HMRC is genuine.

Quick answer

The most-used HMRC numbers are Self Assessment 0300 200 3310, Income Tax and PAYE 0300 200 3300, VAT 0300 200 3700, Employers 0300 200 3200 and National Insurance 0300 200 3500. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm and closed on bank holidays.

• Calling from abroad? Each helpline has its own +44 number, listed below

• VAT and Corporation Tax lines are less busy between 8:30am and 11am

• Have your UTR, National Insurance number or VAT number ready, and keep your online account details up to date to pass security

• Forward scam texts to 60599 and scam emails to [email protected]

HMRC phone numbers by topic

These are the general enquiry lines most people and small businesses need. Click the topic to open HMRC's own contact page.

A few routing points save time:

• Class 4 National Insurance (the self-employed rate) goes through the Self Assessment number, 0300 200 3310, not the main NI line.
• Capital Gains Tax queries use the Income Tax number, 0300 200 3300.
• Making Tax Digital for Income Tax sign-up and use go through Self Assessment. Software problems go to your software provider; HMRC says it can't answer technical questions about third-party software. See our Making Tax Digital guide.
• You can't register for CIS as a subcontractor by phone. That's done online or by post.
• GOV.UK's full A–Z of HMRC contacts covers more than 100 specialist lines, from Stamp Duty Land Tax to the National Minimum Wage.

Numbers if you can't pay on time

The main VAT helpline can't take payments or agree time to pay. If you've missed a payment deadline, call the matching payment problems line instead:

HMRC payment problems lines

0300 200 3820

Self Assessment

Missed payment

0300 200 3831

VAT

0300 200 3819

Employer PAYE

0300 200 3840

Corporation Tax

0300 322 7835

Simple Assessment

All are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Before calling, try HMRC's digital assistant for payment problems, which covers Self Assessment, VAT, employer PAYE, Simple Assessment and Corporation Tax. Many people can also set up a payment plan online without speaking to anyone. Contacting HMRC early matters: under the newer penalty rules for VAT and Making Tax Digital, agreeing a payment plan can stop late payment penalties building up. If you're sizing up a January bill, our Self Assessment guide shows how payments on account work.

Opening hours and the best time to call

Almost every main HMRC helpline is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm and closed on bank holidays. That includes Self Assessment, Income Tax, VAT, Employers, National Insurance, Corporation Tax, CIS, Child Benefit, payment problems and the online services helpdesk. Hours are sometimes extended around big deadlines. In January 2026, for example, HMRC opened Self Assessment webchat and phone lines on Saturday 31 January. Check the topic's page for any temporary changes, including around Christmas.

To cut your wait:

• Call early. HMRC's VAT and Corporation Tax pages say lines are less busy between 8:30am and 11am.
• Avoid deadline weeks. January is peak season for Self Assessment, and the days after quarter-end are busy for VAT.
• Say clearly why you're calling. The Income Tax, VAT and NI lines use speech recognition and route you by what you say. If you can't use it, HMRC's extra support route can help.
• Check online first. HMRC repeatedly asks callers to try GOV.UK guidance and online services before phoning, especially for VAT.

What to have ready before you call

HMRC helplines ask security questions. If the details HMRC holds for you are out of date, you can fail telephone security and the adviser won't discuss your account. Update your address and contact details in your personal or business tax account first.

Have these to hand

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• National Insurance number (Income Tax, PAYE, NI and Child Benefit lines)
• 10-digit Unique Taxpayer Reference (Self Assessment and Corporation Tax)
• VAT registration number and the business postcode (VAT line)
• Employer PAYE reference and Accounts Office reference (Employers line; without them HMRC can give only general advice)
• The letter or notice you're calling about, with its date and any reference
• Your sign-in details if the problem is with HMRC online services
• Pen and paper to note the adviser's name, the date and what was agreed

Share Print

HMRC can't tell you a UTR or National Insurance number over the phone. The Corporation Tax page says advisers can't give a company UTR by phone, and a lost NI number is posted to you, which can take up to 10 working days. Our UTR number guide explains where to find yours. You may be offered voice identification to speed up future calls.

Faster alternatives to phoning HMRC

For routine jobs you often don't need a phone call at all:

• HMRC app (iOS and Android). Check your tax code, see and save your National Insurance number, find your Self Assessment UTR and what you owe, make payments, set payment reminders, claim a refund if you've overpaid, and update your address.
• Personal tax account and business tax account on GOV.UK. View and manage most of the same information, plus VAT returns and payments for businesses.
• HMRC's digital assistant. Available on each contact page for Self Assessment, PAYE, VAT, NI and employers. If it can't help, it can hand you to a webchat adviser when one is free.
• X (Twitter): @HMRCcustomers. General questions only, never personal details. Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 8am to 4pm.
• "Check when you can expect a reply". HMRC's online tool shows current turnaround times if you've already written in.

If you're due money back, our HMRC tax refund guide covers how to claim online.

Call costs, Relay UK and extra support

HMRC's helplines start 0300. GOV.UK's call charges guide estimates calls to 030 numbers at up to 10p a minute from landlines and 3p to 40p a minute from mobiles. Many packages include them in free minutes, so check with your provider. Calls from abroad cost more. You don't need a third-party "connection" service: dial the 0300 numbers above directly.

If you can't hear or speak on the phone, use Relay UK: dial 18001 then the helpline number, for example 18001 0300 200 3300. The National Insurance line also has a textphone, 0300 200 3519.

If a health condition, disability or personal circumstances make dealing with HMRC hard, ask for extra support. The Extra Support Team's webchat runs Monday to Friday 8am to 7:30pm and Saturday 8am to 4pm. It covers Self Assessment, PAYE, National Insurance, Child Benefit, CIS, Corporation Tax, employers' PAYE and Simple Assessment. You can also appoint a friend, relative or adviser to deal with HMRC for you.

Is that call really from HMRC? Spotting and reporting scams

HMRC does phone, text and email people, which is exactly why fraudsters copy it. Treat any contact as suspect if it rushes you, is threatening, is unexpected, asks for bank details, tells you to transfer money, or offers a refund, rebate or grant.

HMRC says it will never:

• leave a voicemail threatening legal action, or threaten arrest;
• ask you to pay with gift cards or payment vouchers;
• use social media to offer a tax rebate or ask for personal or financial information;
• message you on WhatsApp, apart from one-way reminders on the UK Government channel if you've subscribed;
• send a QR code that takes you to a page asking for personal information.

If in doubt, hang up and call back on a number from the table above. Never use a number the caller gives you. GOV.UK also keeps a list of genuine HMRC contacts, covering the texts, emails and letters it really sends, so you can check before acting. To report:

• Suspicious phone call: use HMRC's "Report a suspicious HMRC phone call" online service.
• Suspicious email: forward to [email protected], then delete. HMRC says it only emails about a tax rebate, or asks for personal or payment details, from an address ending hmrc.gov.uk.
• Suspicious text: forward to 60599 (network charges apply), then delete.
• Fake social media account: email the details to [email protected].

If you've already handed over personal details, report it to HMRC's security team. If you've lost money, report it to Report Fraud, or call Police Scotland on 101 if you live in Scotland.

Writing to HMRC instead

Post is slower, but it gives you a paper trail. You don't need a street name, city or PO box with HMRC's BX9 addresses. Couriers need different addresses, listed on each contact page.

Put your UTR, NI number or VAT number on every page. HMRC warns that replies to VAT letters may take more than 15 working days.

Official links

• Contact HMRCGOV.UK's main HMRC contact hub
• Find HMRC contacts (A–Z)Every specialist helpline
• Self Assessment: general enquiriesPhone, webchat, post
• Payment problems: enquiriesMissed payment lines
• Get help from HMRC if you need extra supportExtra support and Relay UK
• Report suspicious HMRC contactCalls, emails, texts, social media
• Check a list of genuine HMRC contactsVerify before you act
• Download the HMRC appTax code, NI number, UTR, payments

What to do next

Save the two or three numbers that match your business: Self Assessment and VAT for most sole traders, plus Employers once you take on staff. Then set up the HMRC app so routine checks never need a call. If you're calling about a bill, have your figures ready first: the budget planner helps you work out what you can afford to pay each month before you ask HMRC for a payment plan.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice — confirm on the official source or with a professional.

Frequently asked questions

What is the HMRC phone number for Self Assessment?

Call 0300 200 3310, or +44 161 931 9070 from outside the UK, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (closed bank holidays). The same line handles signing up for and using Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. If you've missed a Self Assessment payment and need to talk about paying, the payment problems line is 0300 200 3820.

What is the best time to call HMRC?

HMRC says its VAT and Corporation Tax lines are less busy between 8:30am and 11am. Avoid the run-up to big deadlines such as 31 January for Self Assessment. Before calling, check whether the HMRC app, your online account or the digital assistant can answer your question. HMRC asks people to call only when online help can't.

Is it free to call HMRC?

HMRC's helplines start 0300, which GOV.UK classes with public bodies' numbers. Its call charges guide estimates up to 10p a minute from landlines and 3p to 40p from mobiles. Many phone packages include these calls in inclusive minutes, so check with your provider.

How do I know if a call from HMRC is genuine?

Be suspicious of anything unexpected, rushed or threatening, or that asks for bank details or offers a refund. HMRC says it will never leave a voicemail threatening legal action, threaten arrest or ask you to pay with gift vouchers. Hang up, check GOV.UK's list of genuine HMRC contacts, and report the call using HMRC's online form.

Can HMRC give me my UTR or National Insurance number over the phone?

No. HMRC's Corporation Tax line says advisers can't give a UTR over the phone. You can find your personal Self Assessment UTR in the HMRC app or your online account. A National Insurance number isn't read out either. Check it in the app or personal tax account, or have it posted, which can take up to 10 working days.

What number do I call if I can't pay my tax bill?

Use HMRC's payment problems lines: Self Assessment 0300 200 3820, VAT 0300 200 3831, employer PAYE 0300 200 3819, Corporation Tax 0300 200 3840 and Simple Assessment 0300 322 7835. Note that the main VAT helpline can't take payments or agree time to pay. For many debts you can set up a payment plan online without calling.

Sources & verification

Figures on this page were checked against the sources below when it was last reviewed on 7 October 2026. Each rate and limit is stored once with its own official source and review date, and official update channels are monitored daily so changes are picked up. How we verify

1. 1.Contact HMRC — HMRC / GOV.UK · accessed 7 October 2026
2. 2.Self Assessment: general enquiries — HMRC / GOV.UK · accessed 7 October 2026
3. 3.Income Tax: enquiries — HMRC / GOV.UK · accessed 7 October 2026
4. 4.Employers: general enquiries — HMRC / GOV.UK · accessed 7 October 2026
5. 5.VAT: general enquiries — HMRC / GOV.UK · accessed 7 October 2026
6. 6.National Insurance: enquiries — HMRC / GOV.UK · accessed 7 October 2026
7. 7.Corporation Tax: general enquiries — HMRC / GOV.UK · accessed 7 October 2026
8. 8.Construction Industry Scheme: general enquiries — HMRC / GOV.UK · accessed 7 October 2026
9. 9.Payment problems: enquiries — HMRC / GOV.UK · accessed 7 October 2026
10. 10.Technical support with HMRC online services — HMRC / GOV.UK · accessed 7 October 2026
11. 11.Extra Support Team — HMRC / GOV.UK · accessed 7 October 2026
12. 12.Report suspicious HMRC emails, texts, social media accounts and phone calls — HMRC / GOV.UK · accessed 7 October 2026
13. 13.Identify HMRC related scam phone calls, emails and text messages — HMRC / GOV.UK · accessed 7 October 2026
14. 14.Download the HMRC app — HMRC / GOV.UK · accessed 7 October 2026
15. 15.Call charges and phone numbers — GOV.UK · accessed 7 October 2026