I've lost my P45 in the mail and now Inland revenue want more tax

Neo_X_2

Hi,

Can someone please help me ? I had been working for an insurance company in IT for the past 4 years, and due to my house move + problems in the redirection I lost my P45 in the mail - there is no way I can get it now. My previous employer could not issue a duplicate, so they just sent me a letter detailing what was on the original P45. I sent this letter to my new employer (I am contracting now, and working under an umbrella company). The umbrella company was not satisfied, and recommended that I fill in a P46, which I did. I came to know that Inland Revenue have put me on an emergency tax code (489L, is this an emergency tax code?). I have been on a tax code of 474L for the past 4 years. Everytime I call up Inland revenue, some idiot picks up the phone and starts getting very technical about the tax and why they cannot find my details in their database, and hence they tell me to sod off and pay extra tax until god knows when. I am very tired and am extremely agitated about paying the tax man more money than I actually owe. Can someone please explain how I can convince them that I have been paying the tax all along, and I have all the payslips as proof.

Thanks

isasmurf

I very much doubt you have been on a tax code of 474L for the last 4 years.
474L was the standard personal tax code for 2004-05, earlier years would have been different. 489L is now the standard personal tax code for 2005-06.

Unless you have W1 or M1 after the tax code, then you are not on an emergency tax code.

To explain the tax code. The L at the end means your tax code is the basic personal allowance that every one gets and there are no deductions or additions to make. If you add a 5 on the end of the number then that is how much you earn before paying tax, i.e. for this year you earn £4895 before you pay tax.

System

If your code has gone from 474L to 489L you will be paying less tax than before because as Isasmurf said your personal tax free allowance has increased. For the 2005/06 tax year the 10% band has also increased from £2020 to £2090 which increases the amount of your earnings you pay at 10% rather than 22% saving you more money.

Neo_X_2

ah thanks - that clears it up - let me check my previous payslips to confirm the tax code...

dag_2

My previous employer could not issue a duplicate, so they just sent me a letter detailing what was on the original P45. I sent this letter to my new employer (I am contracting now, and working under an umbrella company).

Did you keep a copy of this letter? If not, try to get it back - or ask your former employer for another duplicate.

Actually - you don't really need the letter - you just need to know certain bits of information. You might be able to get this over the phone. You need to know ...

• the date you left your former employer
• the final year's pay
• the final year's tax
• your former employer's Pay As You Earn Reference Number.
• your own National Insurance number.

The PAYE reference number is probably the most important bit of information - it allows the Inland Revenue to find their own record of your income and the tax you've paid. It will also appear on P60's you've received from the same employer.

Everytime I call up Inland revenue, some idiot picks up the phone and starts getting very technical about the tax and why they cannot find my details in their database, and hence they tell me to sod off and pay extra tax until god knows when.

When you contact the Inland Revenue, you need to tell them your former employer's PAYE reference number, and your own NI number. Until you do that, the same idiot is going to carry on picking up the phone, getting technical and telling you to sod off.

Your new employer probably put you on emergency tax code when you started your new job. Now that we're just a couple of weeks into a new tax year, chances are you're not on an emergency tax code any more. However, there's a good chance you're entitled to a refund on tax paid in the 2004-2005 tax year. You'd need to claim this directly from the Inland Revenue - but you probably won't be able to do it until your current employer has sent you a P60. You should have your P60 by the end of May.

I've made a few assumptions here - the advice might not be spot on.