hmrc b#####ds

grade_2

hello,

I got a phone call from my boss yesterday (i'm a PAYE) and he told me that he's just done the wages but hmrc have helped themselves to most of it... took over a grand and left me with less than £500.

I call them up and they have changed my tax code but can't explain why, they didnt know where I work or how long i've been there, said I've been claiming benefits when I havent, refused to accept they had made a mistake... amongst other things said it must be my fault for not sending them my P45 (complete rubbish, i've never been asked to, i've given it to my employer as instructed) also said it must be my employers fault for not questioning the change in tax code and told me to tell them to do the payroll again(!/?) the guy on the phone was ok at first but when I wouldn't go away got very difficult to deal with...

basically, I can't pay my mortgage or most of my bills let alone celebrate christmas and according to the guy on the phone all I can do about it is write them a letter and hope that they sort it out for next month.

It's a blatent mistake and the money is not theirs to take, the guy on the phone knew this but did not want to help...

I dont know what to do or where I stand, according to the website all I can do is complain to them (which i tried to do today but the w###ers are on strike)or write a letter to my MP, neither of which are going to pay my mortgage...

any help/advice appreciated

askabigail

Your employer is effectively an unpaid tax collection agent for HMRC.

I suspect you are a new employee and your P45 was sent in late leaving you on an emergency tax code.

This should definitely be rectified for your next payroll and you should recover the full amount that you have overpaid.

Many smaller companies (such as my employer) will pay their employees the proper net amount under these circumstances i.e. what you would be due under the proper tax code.

Will your employer give you an advance against your tax rebate?

grade wrote: »

hello,

I got a phone call from my boss yesterday (i'm a PAYE) and he told me that he's just done the wages but hmrc have helped themselves to most of it... took over a grand and left me with less than £500.

I call them up and they have changed my tax code but can't explain why, they didnt know where I work or how long i've been there, said I've been claiming benefits when I havent, refused to accept they had made a mistake... amongst other things said it must be my fault for not sending them my P45 (complete rubbish, i've never been asked to, i've given it to my employer as instructed) also said it must be my employers fault for not questioning the change in tax code and told me to tell them to do the payroll again(!/?) the guy on the phone was ok at first but when I wouldn't go away got very difficult to deal with...

basically, I can't pay my mortgage or most of my bills let alone celebrate christmas and according to the guy on the phone all I can do about it is write them a letter and hope that they sort it out for next month.

It's a blatent mistake and the money is not theirs to take, the guy on the phone knew this but did not want to help...

I dont know what to do or where I stand, according to the website all I can do is complain to them (which i tried to do today but the w###ers are on strike)or write a letter to my MP, neither of which are going to pay my mortgage...

any help/advice appreciated

antonic

Are you sure about that sweeping statement ?

Have you just started this job ?

If you have did you had your employer your P45 ? (if you havent then quite corrrectly you have been taxed on emergency code as your new employer will not know what you have earned in your previous job since 06/04/11, did you earn more than £7475 in your last job ?.

If you did this will explain why your on emergency tax, if you didnt once HMRC process your P45, they will instruct your employer of the correct tax code to use and any overpayment of tax will be rectified.

Furthermore, if you have an attitude like this on the phone I am not surprised he was less then helpful, how would you like it if I was to ring you with an attitude like that ?

And as for going on strike yesterday I was one of them and proud to march & rally to do so ! .

grade wrote: »

hello,

I got a phone call from my boss yesterday (i'm a PAYE) and he told me that he's just done the wages but hmrc have helped themselves to most of it... took over a grand and left me with less than £500.

I call them up and they have changed my tax code but can't explain why, they didnt know where I work or how long i've been there, said I've been claiming benefits when I havent, refused to accept they had made a mistake... amongst other things said it must be my fault for not sending them my P45 (complete rubbish, i've never been asked to, i've given it to my employer as instructed) also said it must be my employers fault for not questioning the change in tax code and told me to tell them to do the payroll again(!/?) the guy on the phone was ok at first but when I wouldn't go away got very difficult to deal with...

basically, I can't pay my mortgage or most of my bills let alone celebrate christmas and according to the guy on the phone all I can do about it is write them a letter and hope that they sort it out for next month.

It's a blatent mistake and the money is not theirs to take, the guy on the phone knew this but did not want to help...

I dont know what to do or where I stand, according to the website all I can do is complain to them (which i tried to do today but the w###ers are on strike)or write a letter to my MP, neither of which are going to pay my mortgage...

any help/advice appreciated

System

If you want to post a few details, people on here will be able to help confirm what is going on.

What tax code were you on in your previous job ?

What tax code and earnings were shown on your P45 ?

If no P45, did you complete a P46 - which box did you tick ?

What tax code are you now on - for this latest salary payment that has a large proportion taken in tax ?

System

The fact that the guy on the helpline didn't know where you worked tells me that neither you nor your employer have informed HMRC that you have started that employment. HMRC don't have a crystal ball so you can't blame this on them.

Handing in parts 2 and 3 of a P45 is the way HMRC are usually informed. Your new employer is supposed to use the details on the Part 2 to set you up in payroll and decide which tax code to use. They then send a completed Part 3 to HMRC so that they are officially told of a new employee. HMRC would then adjust the new employees tax code if needs be.

If you don't have a P45 to give to the new employer you are supposed to complete a P46 and the employer will operate a code based on the box you tick on the front of the form. That P46 is then sent to HMRC to inform them of a new employee and again they will adjust the tax code if needs be.

In both of those scenarios HMRC do not know what code the employer is using and so how much tax and national insurance is being deducted until the employer tells them. Or until an irate employee like yourself rings up and gives off down the phone.

happy_lass

i cant understand why they didnt know you worked or why they thought you claimed benefits? where did they get such information about the benefits if you claim not to of claimed them?
I hate speaking to HMRC. I hate the automated voice thing that drives me up the wall and the fact that they dont answer your call for ages. By the time i have got though to them, i am a gibbering wreck !:mad::mad: I hope you get it sorted soon. Not nice this side of xmas.:xmassmile

olivetti

grade wrote: »

hello,

I got a phone call from my boss yesterday (i'm a PAYE) and he told me that he's just done the wages but hmrc have helped themselves to most of it... took over a grand and left me with less than £500.

I call them up and they have changed my tax code but can't explain why, they didnt know where I work or how long i've been there, said I've been claiming benefits when I havent, refused to accept they had made a mistake... amongst other things said it must be my fault for not sending them my P45 (complete rubbish, i've never been asked to, i've given it to my employer as instructed) also said it must be my employers fault for not questioning the change in tax code and told me to tell them to do the payroll again(!/?) the guy on the phone was ok at first but when I wouldn't go away got very difficult to deal with...

basically, I can't pay my mortgage or most of my bills let alone celebrate christmas and according to the guy on the phone all I can do about it is write them a letter and hope that they sort it out for next month.

It's a blatent mistake and the money is not theirs to take, the guy on the phone knew this but did not want to help...

I dont know what to do or where I stand, according to the website all I can do is complain to them (which i tried to do today but the w###ers are on strike)or write a letter to my MP, neither of which are going to pay my mortgage...

any help/advice appreciated

Sounds like you need to be venting your spleen at your employer and not HMRC.

However HMRC will now need to sort out the mess made by your employer by not operating PAYE correctly.

You will need to contact HMRC again and give all your details to them for this tax year.

MattBee_2

There seems to be quite a bit recently about HMRC not properly dealing with telephone calls. Has anyone come accross, or used, a tell-hmrc site which seems to allow people to get information direct to the Tax people? I am going to get a state pension soon and wouldn't want to end up underpaid just because they didn't know or weren't properly informed.

Mikeyorks

Get a P161 at least a month before the State Pension becomes due - and send it to them.

Horseunderwater

olivetti wrote: »

Sounds like you need to be venting your spleen at your employer and not HMRC.

However HMRC will now need to sort out the mess made by your employer by not operating PAYE correctly.

You will need to contact HMRC again and give all your details to them for this tax year.

If you earned £1500 lets say based on what little info you posted, Basic tax is either 20% or 40% over a certain amount, so deduction should be £300 for tax on 20% rate and NI £111 or so - so how did your employer get to £1000 in deductions - Ring them up and ask politely with out losing it this time to ask for proper details. Did you give the employer a P45? If so - what year was it for? Did you have a gap between employments? If P45 end date was in last tax year, then you do need to complete a P46 to obtain the correct code for this year. Which if no other income sources, should be 747L (£7475 tax free). Does this help you figure this out. Tax at this level should be easy to sort out.

withabix

Forget it everyone.

The OP hasn't been on MSE since he made his (probably drunken) post

Last Activity: Yesterday 12:23 AM
Join Date: 23-05-2006

8 posts in 5 and a half years. Regular contributor then...