Self Assessment timescales

kegs_2

Guys,

Wondering if you can assist with a query I have?

I submitted my self assessment for 08/09 which the tax office received on 01/06/09 which I believe I am due a refund circa £400 so not a small amount which I am waiting on. To date I have received nothing which I have got to say is unusual as previous years it has been processed very quickly.

I've rang this morning to be told there are no deadlines for processing, which I obviously found astonishing due to being a public organisation and most of them today are driven by targets. :rolleyes:

At first I was getting we have been inundated, we are getting through them as quickly as possible, but when I pushed to say is there anyway we can make suggestions on service, where I got a response of was I asking to complain, which I said no just suggestion on service, I found out the target is 11 weeks, I am over this but at least I now have guidance as to when it should have been processed and where I fair in the current backlog. However I had to really push to find this out and it is nowhere on their web site as far as I can see?

However based on the current economic climate I guess a few people who require refunds are probably quite desperate for that money and are getting nowhere with what seems no process to escalate, they state on the phone.

Surely this isn't right? Doesn't seem to fit with any other public organisations whom have to meet targets and are answerable if they don't but also need to have an escalation process in hand for those that trip over targets.

So just wondering if any of you know any different or is it due to being Inland Revenue and the powers they have we're all scared of pushing a little?

Just can't believe how strict they are on deadlines with individuals and organisations, but then can't meet their own.

Waffle over.
Kegs.

fengirl_2

In the olden days when fengirl was a baby tax inspector (before computers), the tax office set very rigid targets for dealing with post and tax returns. You were shot at dawn if you had post over 7 days old and shot, hung drawn and quartered if you had post over 14 days old. Tax returns had to be examined and processed by (I think) the end of October. Tax return examination was always the biggest challenge as they all come in at once and the other day to day work had to be done as well.

Then the government had some huge review in the 90's about the civil service and how it was too big, so they cut front line staff like a nuclear attack. All the people I worked with who had 20+ years experience were got rid of (and now provide M&S, etc with the customer service skills they learned in IR) and new people recruited with less training. The new staff are not trained to ask too many questions, are not given the wide breadth of tax knowledge as before and are mere processing machines (as far as I can see). Not their fault, but thats the way the system is now designed.
The 11 weeks which was mentioned seems to be about the norm for the amount of post on hand in a tax office.

You can complain or comment, but unless its at a higher level than HMRC itself I dont see you getting too far. Next stage will be shipping tax returns to Idia to be processed, watch this space.

Pennywise

fengirl wrote: »

Next stage will be shipping tax returns to Idia to be processed, watch this space.

No need - electronic online filing will eventually be compulsory for everyone. They're already bringing in compulsory electronic filing for Corporation tax returns, VAT returns and PAYE returns. It's only a matter of time, then they can get rid of even more humans. They're already encouraging electronic filing by being so slow and inefficient in dealing with paper returns and other correspondence.

taxman3000

phone the tax office and claim hardship, state you need the repayment asap, as long as your return has been marked as recieved then the advisor can refere the case to the area office for calculation.

but as it stands online is the futre as you can claim your repayment as soon as you submit.