BR1 Tax code

catflea

My employer has just changed my tax code to BR1.

Am I right in thinking that this is an "emergency" tax code? The tax I pay has nearly doubled!

Any idea why it might have happened? This is the only job I hold.

Gordon_Hose

Your employer doesn't change tax codes, the Inland Revenue sets them and tells employers what they need to be.

Have a look here: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/incometax/code-wrong.htm

pipscot

catflea wrote: »

My employer has just changed my tax code to BR1.

Am I right in thinking that this is an "emergency" tax code? The tax I pay has nearly doubled!

Any idea why it might have happened? This is the only job I hold.

The first thing to do would be to ask your employer why they have changed it!

No one here will know why - we can only guess! Your employer will know why!

Gordon_Hose

pipscot wrote: »

The first thing to do would be to ask your employer why they have changed it!

No one here will know why - we can only guess! Your employer will know why!

Employers don't set tax codes, only the IR can do that.

If the OP speaks to the employer they'll tell them to speak to the IR.

My tax code changed a couple of months ago and I paid less tax, so I asked HR, they said they couldn't tell me anything as it was all dictated by HMRC.

catflea

HR in this place is a lumbering great brute and takes forever to get anything sorted, I've already contacted them but dont expect a response any time soon.

So, to conclude what you lot are saying is that the IR have told them to put me on BR1? But why would they have done that? It makes no sense! All the advise on the IR website says that you should provide a P45 to have it changed, but having not left I dont have a P45...

Gordon_Hose

That's why you need to get in touch with them, only they can tell you for sure why it has changed.

It could be anything from you not paying enough tax to a clerical error.

pipscot

Gordon_Hose wrote: »

Employers don't set tax codes, only the IR can do that.

If the OP speaks to the employer they'll tell them to speak to the IR.

My tax code changed a couple of months ago and I paid less tax, so I asked HR, they said they couldn't tell me anything as it was all dictated by HMRC.

It could possibly be a mistake by the HR dept at the OP's workplace (been on the receiving end of one of those!) which is why I suggested they contact them first to rule that out.

If the HR dept say that they were told by HMRC to change the tax code, then the OP will have to contact HMRC themselves (as you have advised them to do).

maninthestreet

catflea wrote: »

My employer has just changed my tax code to BR1.

Am I right in thinking that this is an "emergency" tax code? The tax I pay has nearly doubled!

Any idea why it might have happened? This is the only job I hold.

So what was your previous tax code? How long have you worked for your employer?

Evilm

I had a colleague who had his tax code changed without notice to BR1 and that was because he was marked as having two jobs by mistake. They'd noted the start of the current job but not the end of the old job.

Its something wrong with your tax records (or HMRC making a mistake for no reason) so you need to inform HMRC is wrong and wait and see.

catflea

maninthestreet wrote: »

So what was your previous tax code? How long have you worked for your employer?

18 months or so, only job. Prior code was 652L

alisonmeyers

Evilm wrote: »

I had a colleague who had his tax code changed without notice to BR1 and that was because he was marked as having two jobs by mistake. They'd noted the start of the current job but not the end of the old job.

this happened to me last summer too.

what's worse is that when i phoned up to query it, i thought maybe i'd been the victim of identity fraud for a good few minutes until i verified who i was with security questions because at the start of the call they said it might be because someone else has been using my NI number and that they had the name of my 2nd job - the one i actually didn't have :eek: But it was really my PREVIOUS employer - p45 issues or something - they basically didn't know i'd moved companies. so they thought my new job was my 2nd job. all sorted then and there on the phone though (they did mention they'd confirm my info with both employers, but i assume it all went through fine as no more tax code issues).