HMRC say I do not exist!

sheep-ali

Using a link from this site, I checked to see if my OH was entitled to WTC as he has just started a new job.
It said he was, so I phoned HMRC for an application pack.
Eventually they answered & asked for my NI number, which I gave.
I was told that the system did not recognise my number & that I should double-check it. :mad:
I pointed out that the system must have a problem as I have paid tax & received benefits with that number for more than 40 years!
I was informed that the system does not recognise my number so I could not have the pack.
OH will have to phone for one for himself as they could not verify who I was as " the system does not recognise your NI number" :mad::mad:
Does this mean that I could work away happily & not pay tax & no one would care? Yeah, right.

Tehya

OMG how ridiculous. Are you currently working or claiming any other benefits? Maybe the person you spoke to didn't listen properly and inputted a wrong number? I'd try and ring them again if i were you as it may well affect your husband's claim for working tax credits as you both have to be on the form.

WhiteHorse

You don't have a number (you do, but we'll go with what they say), so you can't even have an application form?

Bureaucratic madness.

Incidentally, a former HMRC staff member advised me to get a pension forecast every year, and keep it 'forever', because HMRC lose the records of hundreds of people every year. People are retiring and expecting the pension they've paid for, only to be told that there is 'no record of their contributions', or that their record is 'insufficient for a full pension'. When they object, they are told that unless they can produce all their payslips, P60's etc, they will get nothing.

sheep-ali

I told the man on the end of the phone my number several times & he repeated it back to me & also put it into "another system" & still my number was not recognised.
I was worried about my pension but now I am even more so after the post from WhiteHorse.
I am currently claiming benefits & my OH was on pension credit guarantee until starting work & they were taking my benefits into consideration & reduced his money accordingly.
I am very concerned about WTC claim as my non-existence will presumably make a difference to this.

sheep-ali

It gets worse. Husband phoned today & got told that they had insufficient data to verify who he is so they would get his local tax office ( 35 miles away & open 2 days a week) to call him to make an appointment for him to go & see them!
Suppose it is something that he does exist!

WhiteHorse

Sheep-ali:

Both of you get a written Pension Forecast at once!

sheep-ali

WhiteHorse,
I have taken your advice so will wait & see what happens. Thanks again.

sheep-ali

Well, I have received my pension forecast ( better than I expected ) so at least I exist as far as DWP is concerned.
We await reply from HMRC with interest.

WhiteHorse

Sheep-ali:

Good show, make sure you keep it tucked away, lest they decide later on that you've not paid anything!

slopemaster

WhiteHorse wrote: »

You don't have a number (you do, but we'll go with what they say), so you can't even have an application form?

Bureaucratic madness.

.

Yes, I had same problem when i rang to ask them to send a tax form for my mother. As I didnt have her NI number, they refused to send out a blank form

CIS

Well, I have received my pension forecast ( better than I expected ) so at least I exist as far as DWP is concerned.
We await reply from HMRC with interest.

To give you one then you must have a NI record on file as DWP take the records from HMRC.

I used to work on a team who dealt with pension forecasts and if there was no NI match it would reject the request and we would need to refer the case to HMRC for the NI record to be queried and corrected as required.