Pictured above: Graham Apperley

Government cuts have left HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) "at breaking point", a leading tax expert has warned.

Graham Apperley, Tax Director at the Midlands office of national audit, tax and advisory firm Crowe Clark Whitehill, said it was beginning to cost businesses.

Noting how the public spending clampdown was having a "deep impact" on many Government departments, he said HMRC was no different and had made a series of announcements that it would direct its resources at tackling tax abuse with the result that certain helplines would cease as the staff were redeployed.

"The pressure on these teams is starting to become evident.

"It is becoming increasingly common for a telephone call to HMRC to go unanswered, often being cut off without being able to join the queue.

"The feeling is that HMRC is at breaking point, with the cuts and hasty reforms being identified as the root causes.

"As a result taxpayers may find that they spend an increasing amount of time dealing with HMRC queries, time they would rather spend running their businesses.

"More and more businesses will turn to specialist advisers who are used to dealing with such queries and managing the relationship with HMRC, thereby freeing such entrepreneurs to invest their time more productively," he said.

For more information about Crowe Clark Whitehill, please visit their website here: www.croweclarkwhitehill.co.uk