Tax code - am so confused!!

Animagdon

I'm going round in circles trying to get through to someone at the tax office so thought I would put the problem on here to see if I can make any sense of it before I either lose the will to live or actually get through to a person on the other end of the line.....

In 1997 I left my parents home.

In 2001 I got married and changed my surname to that of my husbands.

In 2003 I started work for the company that I am currently employed by.

In 2004 I got divorced, reverted back to my maiden name and bought my own place.

Two weeks ago I visited my parents and found a letter had been sent to me - in my married name and at my married address - which had been forwarded on by my ex-husband. The date of the letter was 2003 so he's either been hanging onto this letter for 6yrs or the postal service has REALLY gone downhill.

The letter was advising of my tax code for that year 2003-2004.

Last week I visited my parents again to find another letter from the tax office - still in my married name but sent directly to their address (so someone has been changing my details without me being aware of it) and it was advising me of my tax code for this year; 2009-2010.

Now the company I work for has had me registered under my maiden name since I started work here as I'd seperated from my husband for 12 months before the divorce came through but I changed my name by deed poll back to my maiden name at the beginning of the proceedings. So work have me as who I am and delivers my pay slips to my correct address but the tax office seem to now have me as who I used to be at an address I haven't lived at for well over a decade.

How would this be affecting the tax I have been paying over the last few years? And how can my details be changed with them without my knowledge or consent?

Any advise would be appreciated and also any jokes (please don't say the tax office) that could keep me sane whilst the inane robot voice continues for another 40 minutes telling me to hold.......

Animagdon

Forgot to add as well that the second letter advising of this years tax code also mentions that my tax code reflects the private medical care benefit that my company supplies me with......this is news to me as I've never had private health care so how would they think come to the conclusion that I do receive it and how would that affect my tax?

Head in pieces.....

CLAPTON

is there an NI number on the tax forms and is it correct?

Animagdon

There is no NI number on either letter but it is correct on my payslips (which are in correct name and delivered to correct address).

elboono

From what I understand about the HMRC, it is your National insurance number, rather than your name itself that identifies you. When you start a new job, you either give your employer your P45, or fill out a P46 which is then submitted to the HMRC by your employer. Whenever you are employed, the HMRC are aware of it within a month or so, and if you are on the incorrect tax code, they will alert your employer to it, and it will be changed automatically. Unless you are a high earner, or have various sources of income, the tax code you will undoubtedly be on will be 603L.

Animagdon

I'm not a high earner and I don't have any other source of income but my tax code for this year (on this month's pay slip) is 567L and according to the last letter sent to my parents address my next tax code will be 611L.

One of my colleagues said that high earners fall into the above 40k per annum bracket and I can assure you I earn a hell of a lot less than that lol! My annual salary is 20k (having just gone up from 18k in August backdated until April).

CLAPTON

your tax code is unrelated to your salary as such
but it does depend upon any 'benefits in kind' i.e. health insurance

so your tax code for this year ought to be 603L
last year it should have been 522L (i.e. 2007-8)
the one before that it should have been 503L (2006-7)

so it looks like there is something wrong with the information your employer is giving the tax office.
Do you have a P11 .. which shows benefits...

Animagdon

I don't have a P11 but the only benefit I receive through work is a monthly payment I make for a case of wine delivered every quarter (this costs me £19 a month and is deducted from my pay so shows under 'deductions' on my payslip along with NI and Income Tax).

I'm confused as to why the tax office would think I have private health care though - this is something we're offered through work but I chose to have the wine instead because well, it's used more readily than going to the doctor!

CLAPTON

well, it would seem that the HMRC are assuming a benefit in kind of 6035-5675 ie. about 360 per annum...

Animagdon

I'm still trying to get hold of them on the phone! It's unbelievable - nearly 2 hrs of 'please wait until the next available operator can take your call'.....

Thanks for the comments guys; Clapton I will see if I can get to the bottom of where they think the benefit has come from.....I can prove that I've never received benefits of a medical nature through work with a letter from HR and copies of my payslips....but with the discrepency does it mean that I've possibly paid too little tax or too much? I've never understood stuff like this before so sorry for sounding a bit dumb but I appreciate everyone's help x

CLAPTON

you are paying too mauch tax e.g. this year if indeed you have no benefits in kind then you would pay 360 x 20% = £72 too much.

Your payroll system should have records of what P11 info they send to the HMRC
Also your previous years code may be worth checking.

The HMRC lines are probably very very very busy as the cutoff date for inputting self assessment is 31 January so you might prefer to wait until February.