Online webchat never available

For the last 3 days I always get "Our advisers are not available to discuss your query at the moment". I tried phoning the phone number but it simply directs me back to the same unmanned webchat via a text message. While it might be fun to direct people in circles leading to dead ends is there a time or a way to actually get someone to communicate with? gov.uk says webchat is manned 8am - 8pm - and only "might" be unavailable at busy times - this is not prime tax return time so I find it unlikely that all times of the day for the last 3 days things are very busy - please staff your phones or your webchat so my query can be answered.

Hi,
I'm sorry to hear that you haven't been able to talk to anyone on our Webchat service yet. While advisors may not be immediately available, our webchat and telephony services are always manned during the opening hours given on GOV.UK.
As an alternative, you can find our postal address using the link below.
Income Tax: general enquiries
Thank you.

I've been trying all day yesterday and today and still constantly get the same message, Our advisers are not available to discuss your query at the moment.

I am having the exact same issue. I need to make some voluntary national insurance contributions. The only way to do this is to have someone from HMRC manually generate an 18 digit reference for the transaction. It seems crazy that this is not an automated process.

I am having the same problem. Being abroad it is vital that i have online access to advisers and to keep a record of what i am advised but despite trying for many days at different times l always get the ‘advisers not available at this time’ response..what is going on HMRC..

Same problem here. I've received a letter telling me what I need to pay, with no instructions on how to actually make the payment. The reference printed on the letter was alphanumeric rather than numeric, so it didn't work in the online form that you fill in when you're ready to pay. Not only that, I was told in the past by phone agents that there was no deadline for payment as long as I submitted the CF83 form by 5 April, but the letter suggests there will be some kind of penalty if I don't pay by 5 April, and it doesn't mention how much this penalty is. I also have a bunch of other questions about confusing/conflicting information in the letter. Come on, HMRC, this needs to be made a lot clearer and simpler. Each letter should give information specific to the person who receives it, and at the very minimum should include the 18-digit reference number required to pay. There should also be a step-by-step guide on how to pay. How are we expected to pay otherwise? I should also point out that if the correct information is missing from the letter, and people don't know what to do, then misinformation may start to spread. For example, one person told me I can just make a bank transfer to some account and enter my NI number as the reference. No idea whether that would work or not. Please staff the customer enquiry channels properly so that people can get the assistance they need, and meanwhile please improve the letters you are sending out so that people can complete the payment process without needing so much help.

I am an agent working on behalf of clients and I also have the same problem on agent webchat, I can't remember the last time I was able to get through to a person to deal with an issue for a client.

I have been trying to 'speak' with a human advisor via the chatbot for three days. I am consistently told there is no one available. I have been waiting for VAT refunds since the beginning of 2025. We are a small start up business and this refund is now critical to our survival. I have tried telephoning but am unable to speak with an advisor that way either. Please contact me ASAP to resolve.