You can get extra support if your health condition or personal circumstances make it difficult when you contact HM Revenue and Customs ( HMRC ). For example: you have dyslexia, autism or cognitive difficulties you have reduced mobility or physical disabilities you have sensory disabilities, like a visual, hearing or speech impairment you have mental health conditions, like depression, stress or anxiety you’re experiencing financial hardship - for example you cannot afford essentials like food, bills or rent you’re a victim of domestic abuse, including economic abuse you’re receiving treatment in hospital This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg) . How to get extra support You can get an appointment with the extra support team by: asking your adviser when you call an HMRC helpline using the extra support team webchat service contacting them using British Sign Language ( BSL ) or filling in an online form for home visits Contact HMRC online services if you’re having problems signing in or using an HMRC online service. Read the HMRC Privacy Notice to find out how the information you provide will be used. If you’ve been contacted about a compliance check HMRC may send you a letter to say your tax affairs are being checked. This is sometimes called a ‘compliance check’. If this happens, you’ll need to contact your compliance officer for support. Their contact details are in the letter. Find out about other help and support you can get with compliance checks .

If you cannot use a telephone and need a different way to contact HMRC

There are other ways to contact HM Revenue and Customs ( HMRC ) than by telephone. You might need to use another form of contact if: you’re deaf, hearing impaired or hard of hearing you have a speech impairment you use British Sign Language ( BSL ) you have difficulty using the telephone Text Service (Relay UK) Dial 18001 then the relevant contact number to use the Relay UK Text Service . Example The ‘Income Tax: general enquiries’ helpline is 0300 200 3300. Dial 18001 0300 200 3300 to contact the ‘Income Tax: general enquiries’ helpline by text relay. HMRC also offers a textphone service for some of its helplines . If you’ve been contacted about a compliance check HMRC may send you a letter to say your tax affairs are being checked. This is sometimes called a ‘compliance check’. The letter gives contact details for your compliance officer. If this happens, dial 18001 then the phone number for your compliance officer to use the Relay UK Text Service . Webchat You can contact HMRC ’s extra support team using webchat . If you’ve been contacted about a compliance check HMRC may send you a letter to say your tax affairs are being checked. This is sometimes called a ‘compliance check’. If this happens, you cannot use webchat. You’ll need to email your compliance officer for support. Their email address is in the letter. Find out about other help and support you can get with compliance checks . If you use British Sign Language ( BSL ) You can contact HMRC using a BSL video interpreter from the SignVideo service: for help with debt management if you need extra support Home visits and appointments You can ask HMRC ’s extra support team for a face-to-face appointment or home visit. Fill in an online appointment form to arrange a meeting . Once you’ve completed the form, you’ll need to email it to HMRC . The email address is on the online form.

If you need information in a different format

HM Revenue and Customs ( HMRC ) information is available in accessible formats. You might need an alternative format if: you’re visually impaired you have dyslexia or autism you have another condition which makes standard print difficult Contact HMRC if you need a form, leaflet or other information in any of the following formats: Braille large print audio on CD text on CD (standard or large print) other formats, for example coloured paper How to contact HMRC Call the relevant contact number and tell HMRC what help you need. For example, call ‘Self Assessment: general enquiries’ if you need a large-print tax return. They will transfer you to HMRC ’s extra support team. You can also contact HMRC ’s extra support team using webchat . If you’ve been contacted about a compliance check HMRC may send you a letter to say your tax affairs are being checked. This is sometimes called a ‘compliance check’. If this happens, you’ll need to contact your compliance officer and tell them what you need. Their contact details are in the letter. Find out about other help and support you can get with compliance checks .

If you need help filling in forms

HM Revenue and Customs ( HMRC ) can help you with filling in forms. You might need help if: you have a mental health condition, like depression, stress or anxiety you have a visual impairment, dyslexia, autism or cognitive difficulties you have another condition which makes filling in forms difficult you’re experiencing financial hardship - for example you cannot afford essentials like food, bills or rent you’re a victim of domestic abuse, including economic abuse How to get help Call the relevant contact number and tell HMRC what help you need. They will transfer you to HMRC ’s extra support team. You can also contact HMRC ’s extra support team using webchat . If you’ve been contacted about a compliance check HMRC may send you a letter to say your tax affairs are being checked. This is sometimes called a ‘compliance check’. If this happens, you’ll need to contact your compliance officer and tell them what help you need. Their contact details are in the letter. Find out about other help and support you can get with compliance checks .

If you need more time because of your circumstances

In certain circumstances, HM Revenue and Customs ( HMRC ) can give you an extension to a deadline or spend more time with you on the phone. You can ask for more time if, for example: you have a mental health condition, like depression, stress or anxiety you have a visual impairment, dyslexia, autism or cognitive difficulties you have another condition which means you need more time you’re experiencing financial difficulties - for example, if you’ve been laid off because of coronavirus (COVID-19) you’re receiving treatment in hospital (someone else can ask HMRC for you) you’re a victim of domestic abuse, including economic abuse How to ask for more time To ask for more time because of your circumstances, call the relevant contact number and tell HMRC what help you need. They will transfer you to HMRC ’s extra support team. You may need to prove why you need more time. You can also contact HMRC ’s extra support team using webchat . If you’ve been contacted about a compliance check HMRC may send you a letter to say your tax affairs are being checked. This is sometimes called a ‘compliance check’. If this happens, you’ll need to contact your compliance officer to ask for more time. Their contact details are in the letter. Find out about other help and support you can get with compliance checks .

If you need information in another language

You can use a friend or family member as an interpreter when you phone HM Revenue and Customs ( HMRC ). They must be over 16 and will need to be in the same room as you when you call HMRC . HMRC may also be able to organise an interpreter for you. How to contact HMRC Use the relevant contact number , for example the Self Assessment helpline, if you need help with your tax return. If you’ve been contacted about a compliance check HMRC may send you a letter to say your tax affairs are being checked. This is sometimes called a ‘compliance check’. If this happens, you’ll need to contact your compliance officer for support. Their contact details are in the letter. Find out about other help and support you can get with compliance checks .

If you need someone to talk to HMRC for you

If you find it difficult to deal with HM Revenue and Customs ( HMRC ) yourself, you can appoint someone to talk to HMRC for you . This can be a friend, relative or an adviser from a voluntary organisation.

Get help from HMRC if you need extra support

Help you can get

You can get extra support if your health condition or personal circumstances make it difficult when you contact HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). For example:

you have dyslexia, autism or cognitive difficulties
you have reduced mobility or physical disabilities
you have sensory disabilities, like a visual, hearing or speech impairment
you have mental health conditions, like depression, stress or anxiety
you’re experiencing financial hardship - for example you cannot afford essentials like food, bills or rent
you’re a victim of domestic abuse, including economic abuse
you’re receiving treatment in hospital

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

How to get extra support

You can get an appointment with the extra support team by:

asking your adviser when you call an HMRC helpline
using the extra support team webchat service
contacting them using British Sign Language (BSL) or filling in an online form for home visits

Contact HMRC online services if you’re having problems signing in or using an HMRC online service.

Read the HMRC Privacy Notice to find out how the information you provide will be used.

If you’ve been contacted about a compliance check

HMRC may send you a letter to say your tax affairs are being checked. This is sometimes called a ‘compliance check’.

If this happens, you’ll need to contact your compliance officer for support. Their contact details are in the letter.

Find out about other help and support you can get with compliance checks.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Get help from HMRC if you need extra support

Help you can get

How to get extra support

If you’ve been contacted about a compliance check

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