Tax code change - was 652L now BR

anagrama

Evening all.
Just received my April payslip and had an unpleasant surprise when I see my tax code has changed from 652L to BR, leaving me £109 worse off in comparison to last month (around 10% of my net income).

I'll be following it up with Payroll first thing tomorrow, but in the meantime, can I rest assured that it's a f*ck-up on their part rather than a permanent change?

jem16

It's unlikely to be your payroll's fault.

The likely cause is the new system being put in place by HMRC which has got a lot of tax codes wrong. Did you not get a coding notice a few weeks ago?

Your first call should probably be to HMRC.

anagrama

Ah, thanks for the response - I did look back a few pages on here, but evidently not far enough as I've now seen a couple of similar queries. I haven't received a coding notice.

Worried196

BR code usually applies to people with two jobs and is based on the second job having virtually no personal allowance. When you contact HMRC explain that this is your only job.

jem16

Worried196 wrote: »

BR code usually applies to people with two jobs and is based on the second job having virtually no personal allowance. When you contact HMRC explain that this is your only job.

The Op will probably find that HMRC's brilliant new computer system has suddenly managed to decide that he has two jobs.

anagrama

jem16 wrote: »

The Op will probably find that HMRC's brilliant new computer system has suddenly managed to decide that he has two jobs.

Yes indeed - after being kept on hold for half an hour, I was surprised to discover that I have also been working for the Union Society, whatever that is. Wouldn't mind if they had actually been paying me!

After initially trying to re-allocate me to 612L by still including the Healthcare from the non-existent other job, I have now been pegged at 653L and will have to wait a month to recover the missing funds...

jem16

anagrama wrote: »

and will have to wait a month to recover the missing funds...

Tell me about it!

I noticed the wrong tax code I had been sent - corrected it with HMRC at the beginning of March and they sent me a new tax coding notice. Only problem they forgot to send the code to the pension provider so they owe me £200!

furiousd

The same thing happened to me. I received a new BR code in January and phoned up to have it changed. It seemed I had 2 jobs as well. The call was logged with HMRC on 21st January but when I got my payslip at the beginning of this week it said BR for my tax code. It was apparently an "oversight" that it wasn't changed when I called up in January.

Are these guys stupid or what?! I think we should dock the staff responsible the same amount as we are losing out of our wages!

Pumpkinface_2

Well you are all very fortunate only being put onto a BR code! My husband was put onto D0 code two months ago, despite his job being our one and only source of income. We had it corrected but this month he paid 40% tax on all income anyway for god knows what reason and it cost us £800. We are having to dip into savings just to pay the mortgage this month.

It is an absolute joke, if we paid incorrect tax we would be fined and charged interest yet HMRC gets away with this.

furiousd

I agree anagrama. It is a disgrace. I don't know what I'd do if I was short by £800 on my pay. I don't earn much and even the £110 extra that HMRC took from me this month is going to cause problems. Its my wife's 40th birthday in a few weeks and I was needing all my wages for spending money on a surprise weekend away.

I've written a very stern letter to HMRC but really what's the point? Nobody will take accountability for their mistakes.