Tax Credits Helpline, unable to get through!

BargainJunky · 30 July 2012 at 3:03PM

I rang on Saturday afternoon around 1pm pressed the wrong button so had to hang up. Tried again straight away and was through and finished before 1.30pm. The lady told me that they were busy first thing then it went quiet then a steady stream of calls. Personally if I still needed to get through I would try around 5-6pm when most people would possibly be on their way home or cooking tea.

callum9999 · 30 July 2012 at 4:42PM

wotnext wrote: »

Same here. Trying desperately to get through and I have to sit through the same old information before finally being told they are too busy and I'm just cut off. It's not good enough as I assume I am being charged to sit and listen to their 'helpful information'. Every year it's the same - why don't they ever learn?! :mad:

Maybe I'm a cynic but I sometimes can't help but wonder if they make a tidy profit out of all the failed phone calls.

Why do you assume that? It's only a landline number, and you should know full well it would be busy the day before the deadline - you've been told via internet, tv and radio ads for weeks and weeks to do it, as well as the actual form you received (probably well over a month ago).

I do sympathise - I've been trying to get through all day - but it's not HMRCs fault.

Tiernan · 30 July 2012 at 5:10PM

I'v been tryin to get threw to them from 7:58am this morning every 5-15 min still no joy. I keep getting threw all the options then for them to tell me all lines are busy and being cut of. I'v had my renewal back but it's full of mistakes and now I got another letter saying that I owe them money which I can't afford really starting to panic now. What happens of I can't get threw before the deadline.

tifo · 30 July 2012 at 5:48PM

MancMaid wrote: »

I imagine your success was largely due to the fact that it was Sunday and most claimants wouldn't have expected the lines to ne open.

Apart from the fact they've been advertising they're open this Sunday 29 July and it's on their website.

[Deleted User] · 30 July 2012 at 5:49PM

I am really angry with HMRC. I called them yesterday fine, however I checked my bank this morning and my payments are not as they should be, I guess they have sent me another award notice, but I want to know what's going on.

So I called them this morning probably every 10 minutes with no joy of getting through.

However I called them again this afternoon, went through all of the options and stayed on hold for 30 minutes, thinking great I am through I hung on! Only to be told the lines are busy and to call back later, great! But who pays the call costs, if they are not going to answer at some point surely they should refuse your call to start with.

I am really angry, I want to know what sort of business is allowed to keep you on hold, costing money, only to know that 30 minutes later you will be cut off. Are HMRC boosting business for BT or something???

[Deleted User] · 30 July 2012 at 5:51PM

Tiernan wrote: »

I'v been tryin to get threw to them from 7:58am this morning every 5-15 min still no joy. I keep getting threw all the options then for them to tell me all lines are busy and being cut of. I'v had my renewal back but it's full of mistakes and now I got another letter saying that I owe them money which I can't afford really starting to panic now. What happens of I can't get threw before the deadline.

They allow some extra time

I called last time, I think I was months late, and even then they sorted it for me, they told me I was just before the deadline :eek:
It wasn't days it was either weeks or months after the 31st :rotfl:

zeejay · 30 July 2012 at 5:54PM

I've been having major issues like a lot of others.

I first tried to call about 2 weeks ago and ended up a stupidly long queue. After a while I just hung up as I needed to go and get some other things done. Now I wish I had stayed and waited as long as those queues might have been.

I wasn't aware until today that they where open weekends, but all Friday and today I've been trying to call about every 20 mins or so... and like many others I end up being forced to listen to the 5 mins of ramblings only to be cut off and not placed into any queue due to them 'being busy'.

Does anyone know what action we can take (if any) for the fact that its so hard to get through right now? Or are the HMRC gonna end up wrapping themselves up in the red-tape of "we'll we gave you at least a month to phone us, so not our fault if you couldn't get though in the last 2 week!"

EDIT:
Just seen assj's post.. and I'm hoping this mess does mean they give us some extra time to get changes/etc in.

tifo · 30 July 2012 at 5:57PM

zeejay wrote: »

Or are the HMRC gonna end up wrapping themselves up in the red-tape of "we'll we gave you at least a month to phone us, so not our fault if you couldn't get though in the last 2 week!"

They give you almost 4 months to renew, plus you can estimate your income and give actual figures by 31 Jan the next year, so that's almost 10 months !!!

interstellaflyer · 30 July 2012 at 6:01PM

Always slow took about 1/2 hr to get through and is it really necessary to listen to 3 or 4 mins of 'did you know' or 'OK just so you know' or 'visit https://www.....' and 'your call is important to us' crap before they even put you in the queue, even worse, listen to 3 or 4 mins of crap then 'all our operators are busy, please call back later' I know that it's not only Tax Credit Helpline most helplines do the same, however why can't they put you in the queue then give out this information rather that do it before hand.

lmd1975 · 30 July 2012 at 6:22PM

Calling 0845 number is just another way for the government to make MONEY from us! I have been right down to the options then im told "sorry we are unable to take your call"

Tax Credits Helpline, unable to get through!

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