We fill the gaps

We provide free, confidential and professional tax advice for people who can’t afford paid help or are facing difficult personal circumstances.  

We work closely with voluntary and community sector organisations like yours to make sure no one is left to navigate tax issues alone. 

What we can help with. 

We help people who are struggling with tax issues, including:  

• understanding letters 

• sorting out tax debts or penalties 

• fixing wrong tax codes 

• completing forms 

• disputes with HMRC 

• unexpected deductions 

• complex work situations like multiple jobs, self-employment, or short-term/gig  

And when personal circumstances make it hard to manage tax or money, we’re here for that too. 

…and what we can’t help with. 

We can’t advise on: 

• DWP benefits (including Tax Credits) 

• Council Tax 

• Limited Companies 

• Corporation Tax (Limited Companies) 

• Non-UK tax issues 

Who we help. 

We support individuals who can’t pay for tax advice and can’t get the help they need elsewhere. 

To see if your client is eligible, we will need to know about: 

• Their annual income (typically we help people with income below £28,000) 

• Any debts or savings 

• Personal circumstances that may make it difficult to access help, such as health issues, caring responsibilities or financial hardship 

If you’re unsure whether your client qualifies, please contact us to discuss their situation and consider their individual needs. We do not offer tax planning services, but our advisers can provide guidance to help clients make sound tax decisions. 

How to connect your client with us. 

The longer someone waits to get help with their tax problem, the more penalties and interest can build up. 

If your client is struggling, encourage them to contact us as soon as possible. The sooner we speak, the sooner we can start putting things right. 

There are two ways to connect your client with us – ask them to call our public line or call us yourself on our dedicated referral line. 

Ask your client to call us. 

Encourage your client to call us on the number below. There are some tips below to help them get the most out of their call. 

Call us: 0345 120 3779 
Our helpline is open Monday – Friday, 9am to 5pm. 
Find out more about our helpline. 

Make a referral. 

If you’d like to speak to us, send us a message and ask for a call back. One of our advisers will call you to talk about your query. 

Preparing your client for speaking to us. 

However we connect to your client, here are some tips to help them get the most out of their call: 

• Speak to us from a quiet space with a good mobile signal  

• Make sure they can spare at least 20 minutes  

• Have their National Insurance number ready 

It is also helpful to have this financial information ready: 

• all the correspondence from HMRC with them, in order of date received 

• any income statements with them, such as contracts of employment, payslips, benefits statements, P45, P60, and any other statements of earnings 

• if they’re self-employed, have any paperwork relating to their work including business expenses  

• Provide previous years’ tax returns or self-assessments 

You can reassure your client that all calls are confidential, free, and focused on getting their tax problem sorted.  

What happens once we’ve spoken to your client?  

We will speak to your client about their personal tax problem and take details on their personal circumstances. 

For clients who fit within our remit, we will try to resolve their problem on the call through advice, guidance, and information.  

If the tax problem can be resolved by HMRC’s Extra Support Team, we will make a referral to that team. 

For more complex tax problems, we will record your client’s contact information and assign them to one of our qualified tax advisors for support. Our tax advisor will work with your client to achieve the best possible resolution of their tax problem. 

Following support, the advisor will provide further guidance to enable your client to better understand their taxes going forward. 

When to contact HMRC instead. 

Sometimes HMRC may be the best first step. Their Needs Extra Support (NES) service helps people who need additional help managing their tax affairs. Clients can call NES on 0300 200 3300 or use their online booking form.