Tax Rebate - Asking for documents I don't have.

PocoLocoCoco

Hi,

I am trying to claim my tax back for last year. I sent a letter to them with the amounts, tax paid, amount I am due back.

4 weeks later I receive a letter from them saying sorry for the delay, ''We need to check your 2006-07, 07-08 tax years. so can you please send your original p45s or statements from the Benefits Agency showing the taxable Jobseekers Allowance for the years ended 5 April 2007 and 2008.''

Now I only have bits and pieces, I tend to shred documents after time. I have bits and pieces I can send to them but I know they will probably come back with sorry that is not enough.

I can give them dates and amounts I was paid if I look on my Internet Banking, thats probably all I can give. Do you think that is enough?

Do the tax people know exactly what I am owe? I mean at the end of the day I have paid the tax to them, they know what I have paid and what I haven't so shouldn't they know? Are they just making it difficult for us Joe Public to get money that we are owe. I mean I am sure they are quick enough to demand money when it's due.

glider3560

You should be keeping documents relating to tax for at least 6 years. You could try asking your employer if they could re-issue any documents.

PocoLocoCoco

I will in future be keeping all documents.

I have managed to find p45s or payslips for the working side of things so I think that will be fine.

I have nothing to say I was on Jobseekers (It's not something I like to remind myself about) I just have the payments going into my bank account.

I'm just gonna send what I have off and see what they come back to me with.

Money_Grabber13579

glider3560 wrote: »

You should be keeping documents relating to tax for at least 6 years. You could try asking your employer if they could re-issue any documents.

I thought for private individuals it was only 2 years after the date on which tax was due to be paid for the relevant tax year? i.e. for tax year ending 5th April 09, the tax is due by 31st Jan 2010, so documents would need to be kept until 31st Jan 2012. Maybe I've got that wrong?

fengirl_2

They are not making it deliberately difficult for you - they are just trying to make sure they have all the info on your income and tax paid for the years in question so that they can give you the correct tax refund. They are not trying to trick you. If they say they dont have the info, then they dont have it. HMRC are busy enough without generating even more post!
There could be lots of reaons for this : many employers are very poor at operating PAYE correctly and sending info to HMRC, as is the JC. Also, info could have been sent in with just one number in your NI number being wrong and it would fail to reach your tax record.
You can write or ring the JC and ask them for a statement of the JSA paid to you if you give them the periods you need. If you have missing P45's, you can ask the employers concerned for a letter showing the pay and tax in those employments.