P87 'Review'

I recently submitted a number of P87 forms to HMRC in Liverpool. A number of people in my office also did the same. The purpose was to claim the tax back on some mileage, where we were paid 22p per mile, but were taxed as recieving 40p per mile.

My colleagues have had a turnaround within about 4 weeks, and have had their tax code changed, plus have received lump sum refunds.

I sent my forms off in the first week of January 2012. When I call the PAYE helpline, all I get from the operator is that my claim has gone for review, and that there is no timeframe for this to be resolved. I just am asked to ring back in weeks/months time.

Surely there must be some turnaround time for cases in this state. When I asked what going for 'Review' actually meant, non of the operators could explain what it is. Does anybody know? Is it some sort of management review for quality control of decisions?

Thanks

Comments

  • Did any of your claims exceed £2500 a year? If so this may be the reason for the delay as you should have asked for a self assessment Tax return instead....
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  • cardia
    cardia Posts: 13 Forumite
    I've done this as well for 2009/10 as i didn't get paid allowance working as a HCA, which meant traveling to different places for each shift. I sent my form in January, and got a letter on 16th Feb stating it was being dealt with and will aim to contact me by the 17th March..... well i haven't heard anything, i have called and asked if theres any information, which of course they don't. An e-mail was sent to the department dealing with my claim by one of the call center staff, but apparently that takes up to 3 weeks to process as well...

    I'll try and keep you updated, i don't understand why it takes so long for an update, especially when they sent me a letter stating they will contact me.

    extremly frustrating
  • cardia wrote: »
    I've done this as well for 2009/10 as i didn't get paid allowance working as a HCA, which meant traveling to different places for each shift. I sent my form in January, and got a letter on 16th Feb stating it was being dealt with and will aim to contact me by the 17th March..... well i haven't heard anything, i have called and asked if theres any information, which of course they don't. An e-mail was sent to the department dealing with my claim by one of the call center staff, but apparently that takes up to 3 weeks to process as well...

    I'll try and keep you updated, i don't understand why it takes so long for an update, especially when they sent me a letter stating they will contact me.

    extremly frustrating

    Exactly the same situation here. Sent in 2 P87 forms in January, sent a letter beginning of Feb saying Bournemouth office was dealing with it and they would aim to contact me by 15th March, nothing. Phone two days later to be told there was nothing on the computer about it. What does that even mean! She said she would send an email but there was a 15day turnaround on this. Almost 15 days later guess what - still nothing! Time for another 20mins on hold and a snotty phonecall methinks! :mad:
  • cardia
    cardia Posts: 13 Forumite
    Called them again as its been nearly 2 weeks since i was supposed to have been contacted. Just spoke to a nice lady who imediatly said she would chase it and put in a complaint, which means i should get a call in the next 2-5days.... we'll see how it goes.
  • chrismac1
    chrismac1 Posts: 2,585 Forumite
    HMRC definition of Review is different to OED definition:

    Review = we spend ages pratting about, ideally go to sleep for months and / or lose our records of the matter, hopefully the taxpayer either gives up or dies during this period.

    Complaint = we wake up and almost up our game to the professional standards of the rest of the country, still behave in a jobsworthy fashion but at least take less than 6 weeks to reply to a letter, and at least don't dare to lose all our records of the matter.
    Hideous Muddles from Right Charlies
  • Similar here, I sent P87 forms to Liverpool in feb then got at letter from Glasgow in march telling me they've now gone to Bournemouth and I should hear something by the next tax year. Why not just tell me to send them there in the first place?
    MFW 2024 £0/7500 Mortgage £129,500 Jan 22 Final payment June 38 Now £99,801.75 FP May 36 Emergency Fund £17,500 100% Added to ISA 24 £0 Save 12k in 24 #31 £0/20,000 Debt Free 31.07.14
  • Skint_yet_Again
    Skint_yet_Again Posts: 7,510
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Forumite
    edited 31 March 2012 at 11:26AM
    1. P87 to Liverpool po box address. this appears to be a sorting office for PAYE post in and out of HMRC

    2. P87 basic review by officer checking figures not estimated and arithmetical check done

    3. P87 for multiple years have to be sent to technical support for a full review (possibly not in same office as original officer at point 2)

    http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/pommanual/paye80010.htm

    Only timescale appears to be for "a reply" to original P87 - not necessarily the repayment - and if the call centre send internal communications to chase up (3 weeks)
    0% credit card £1360 & 0% Car Loan £7500 ~ paid in full JAN 2020 = NOW DEBT FREE 🤗
    House sale OCT 2022 = NOW MORTGAGE FREE 🤗
    House purchase completed FEB 2023 🥳🍾 Left work. 🤗

    Retired at 55 & now living off the equity £10k a year (until pensions start at 60 & 67).

    Previous Savings diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5597938/get-a-grip/p1

    Living off savings diary
    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429003/escape-to-the-country-living-off-savings/p1
  • chrismac1
    chrismac1 Posts: 2,585 Forumite
    The HMRC postal system is designed to maximise randomness and the chances of lost mail. For example, post addressed to several tax offices in the Midlands goes via Cardiff.

    No doubt senior management can spout various motherhood statements about why this is. What is not in doubt is that whole van loads of mail have got lost in transit, there is a small army of couriers ferrying this stuff around.

    Like most accountants, I exhaust all other possible methods before writing to them. Just this week the VAT registration folk asked me for a document I sent 2 months ago, and which my client sent at least once last month. So they rang up to get it sent at best a third, at worst a fourth time.

    I said "Why not ask me for the information and I'll give it to you right now over the phone?" She refused, "not in our procedures".

    I said "My client will only ever pay VAT to you. We have evidence we've sent you this stuff three times. We've got better things to do than send it again. Do you want your VAT cash receipts becuase we are quite happy if you don't want us to register?"

    She thought about this and then said "Okay I will go ahead with the registration."

    You could argue this is off topic. I am posting it becuase it shows that if you can work out the right pressure points and apply the pressure there, you can get them to move their arrsess sometimes.
    Hideous Muddles from Right Charlies
  • suso
    suso Posts: 548 Forumite
    chrismac1 wrote: »
    The HMRC postal system is designed to maximise randomness and the chances of lost mail. For example, post addressed to several tax offices in the Midlands goes via Cardiff.

    No doubt senior management can spout various motherhood statements about why this is. What is not in doubt is that whole van loads of mail have got lost in transit, there is a small army of couriers ferrying this stuff around.

    Like most accountants, I exhaust all other possible methods before writing to them. Just this week the VAT registration folk asked me for a document I sent 2 months ago, and which my client sent at least once last month. So they rang up to get it sent at best a third, at worst a fourth time.

    I said "Why not ask me for the information and I'll give it to you right now over the phone?" She refused, "not in our procedures".

    I said "My client will only ever pay VAT to you. We have evidence we've sent you this stuff three times. We've got better things to do than send it again. Do you want your VAT cash receipts becuase we are quite happy if you don't want us to register?"

    She thought about this and then said "Okay I will go ahead with the registration."

    You could argue this is off topic. I am posting it becuase it shows that if you can work out the right pressure points and apply the pressure there, you can get them to move their arrsess sometimes.

    chrismac once again picks up the stick by the wrong end.

    quote 1, "HMRC is designed to maximise randomness"
    HMRC for individuals has 3 postal address,
    1 - HMRC, PO Box 1970, Liverpool, L75 1WX - all postal enquiries
    2 - HMRC, Self Assessment, PO Box 4000, Cardiff, CF14 8HR - sending paper tax returns
    3. - HMRC Netherton - for returning Short Tax Returns

    show me where this is randomness ?

    "You could argue this is off topic."
    Its not a argruement, it quite simply off topic, like most of your posts,

    chrismac, either remember grown ups are using the computer and as its a school night ask mumys permission before you use the computer.
    He's not an accountant - he's a charlatan
  • cardia
    cardia Posts: 13 Forumite
    so i got my call back from HMRC, all she had to say was a letter had been posted second class, she had no further information then that...

    My letter came through and it was a request for further information, 3 months after originally sending my P87.

    Even though i offered to send this info in with my original form and was told it wouldn't be needed.

    Information requested was:
    • exact starting and finishing locations of each place you haver visited on business.
    • reason for each business journey
    • distance travelled
    • location of permanent workplace and wwhether worked in a defind geographical area
    • job description
    • confirmation that the claim doesn't relate to travel between home and a permenant workplace
    • details of the amount of any contribution that your employer makes towards your mileage costs (even though this is in the P87!)
    They also stated:
    'you cannot claim mileage for ordinary commuting. This is the journey an emplyee makes on most days between their home and their permanent workplace. We view a workplace as being permanent if the employee has spent, or is likely to spend, 40 per cent or more of their working time at that workplace over a continuous period that lasts, or is likely to last, more than 24 months.'

    They provided a number: 01202 585019. I spoke to a gentlemen who was very good and gave me the fax details to send the information straight away. When calling back the next day to ensure the fax had been received i spoke to a few not very helpful people.

    So here i go waiting again to see if i will get a refund... :(
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