the revenue published this to their site yesterday (@ http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/workingtogether/news/taxcredit.htm) -

'Tax Credits - a new agent priority line 0845 300 3943

Many agents deal with their clients’ tax credit claims. We have taken note of your feedback and made changes to the process for dealing with agents to improve the service.

Until now agents have had to use the general tax credit helpline number. From 1 August 2006, agents should use a new, dedicated priority number for tax credits - 0845 300 3943.

All agent calls will be routed to one Contact Centre site. When the call comes through, it is identified as an agent call and the adviser will have the relevant guidance for verifying and dealing with agents at their fingertips. This will ensure a more efficient service for agents.

If an agent uses the existing general number, our staff should still deal with the call, but we recommend that you use the new number. The new priority line is for agents only; please do not make it available to the general public otherwise the efficiency of the service will be affected.'

Being nosy I phoned the number given to ask what an agent is etc.

I was told an agent is an accountant/solicitor etc - basically anyone who gets paid for dealing with a client's TC claim. I was told that a TC claimant can give details of their agent over the phone and the agent will then be able to contact this new priority line. The phone number puts you through to an adviser a lot quicker than ringing the public number, but the adviser you speak to will be one of the public helpline team who happens to be free to take the call, rather than a dedicated team like the welfare rights priority line. I asked about the correspondence issue and they said that letters do not get sent to the agent, the agent just has authority to deal with the issue as instructed by their client, but correspondence is still sent to the claimant.

info re redesigned auth form and 'online authorisation service' @

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/workingtogether/agent-authorisation.htm

We've been using what we thought was an agent number since tax credits started! We've been using 0845 300 3946. Only one number difference, i feel a bit confused now actually! If there's never been an agent number before who have we been ringing?!!

The number we use is not an agent number, but the welfare rights priority line number. Us welfs are not agents, but intermediaries for our clients. The agent nubmer is for accountants etc.

I have never had any sort of welfare rights number for TC, is it possible to let me know the number?

Thanks

It's the number on bensup's post above.