HMRC Confidentiality

ceeforcat

Wouldn't have posted this but as it took me five minutes of listening to options, I will.

I have just received Mr. XXX tax return in the doctor's surgery which I manage from time to time. Looking at it, I think that Mr. XXX has an overpayment as it would appear that he is paying too much tax on his occupational pension. His property account appears to struggling somewhat and I would be worried as to why he has chosed not to claim wear and tear allowance.

In my telephone call, I pointed out that, while I was an agent and ex-HMRC, I was ringing about someone who was not my client. Bad Mistake!

'We can't discuss this with you unless authorised'

But...

'We need a form 64-8'

But..

' Taxpayers details are highly confidential..'

Well, why have you sent his tax return (with NINO, UTR and address), tax calculation and accompanying schedules to a doctor's surgery then?

Long pause.

'Hold on until I put you through.'

After two minutes on hold, I gave up.

Yes - it's all going well!

Cook_County

Why not just be nice and drop it back down HMRCs chimney on Xmas Eve so they find it under their tree on Xmas morning?

ceeforcat

I thought I was doing the decent thing by telling them, (or attempting to) in the first place! It is now shredded - they can work the mystery out for themselves.

System

Fair play for giving it a go. As I understand DPA, they're right to say they couldn't speak to you about XXX. But if it was just going to be a general query about 'what should I do' etc, they probably could have helped out. My guess is they put you on hold, waiting for a more senior staff member to become available.

Out of interest, if it was addressed to someone not living at the surgery couldn't you just stick it back in the post? Most business mail has a returns address on the envelope.

kevelesopnic

ceiberman wrote: »

Fair play for giving it a go. As I understand DPA, they're right to say they couldn't speak to you about XXX. But if it was just going to be a general query about 'what should I do' etc, they probably could have helped out. My guess is they put you on hold, waiting for a more senior staff member to become available.

Out of interest, if it was addressed to someone not living at the surgery couldn't you just stick it back in the post? Most business mail has a returns address on the envelope.

This was what struck me. HMRC are, rightly imho, applying confidential ly whereas, and forgive me if I am wrong, you have applied the opposite by opening someone else's post.

ceeforcat

kevelesopnic wrote: »

This was what struck me. HMRC are, rightly imho, applying confidential ly


(by posting copies of a completed self assessment return and calculation to a doctor's surgery?)

and forgive me if I am wrong, you have applied the opposite by opening someone else's post.


Really! - the letter was opened by a receptionist, one of at least one hundred every day, and left on my desk because I deal with all the tax affairs of the practice. I suppose I could have found the original envelope, stuck it back together and posted it to him - he would not at all have been suspicious?

It was the attitude of HMRC towards the error which annoyed me most - I did not ask for any confidential information - I already had it!

DevCoder

But you still had no right to discuss his tax issues (right or wrong).

you had post opened for someone who was not the correct receiver, this is ok as it was delivered to the correct address (I assume)

Your mistake was that you should have just resealed the envelope or at worst just shredded it. Your views on the persons tax matters should not concern you.

If you were trying to convey the above then apologies but you should know that the best means of expressing a contravention of DPA would be via written correspondence.

jimmo

Come on ceeforcat, with your experience at HMRC what makes you think that HMRC would post a completed Tax Return and schedules anywhere?

I know things have changed radically since yours and my days at HMRC but doesn‘t it seem more likely that Mr XXX was trying to submit his Return to HMRC, perhaps recycling the envelope he received it in?

If so, Mr XXX may well have had problems submitting a late Return but you have made it so much worse for him by shredding it.

What have you done?

ceeforcat

The letter came from HMRC so- not very much, jimmo.

Nevertheless, as it is you, I accept that your point is valid.

There are others on this thread who I regard less favourably.

I appreciate that, over the past four years ago, I may not have posted as frequently as many, preferring to contribute only where there is misinformation or a gap. Nevertheless, I hope that to some at least, may have been helpful.

To the likes of jimmo, Clapton, pennywise, john pierpoint and others who I have held in high regard - the very best of luck - you do a wonderful job.

Good Luck!

antonic

Its possible that this the address is the last address HMRC hold for this guy, and even though he has moved he hasnt told them he has moved and provided a new address.

Therefore HMRC can only write to the last known address they hold on file - and this *may* explain why they have used this address.

(In my experience this happens a LOT, and the first people & HMRC know about the problem is when they start getting pursued for allegedly outstanding amounts).

FOREVER21

Hi
You are lucky that HMRC even spoke to you. I am currently having problems with my state pension. Having spoken to the pension service I was told to contact HMRC as national insurance contributions seemed to be the cause of the problem.
Spoke to HMRC and thought that it had been sorted only to get another incorrect payment so telephoned pension service again and asked them to contact HMRC to sought it out.

Amazingly I was told that I would need to contact HMRC again and give them my permission to give information to the pension service.
Madness one government dept. Can not give information to another dept. I do not think the DP Act was ever meant to be used this way.