Tax credit renewal 2013

electric_comperella

Finally got through after 28 minutes 10 seconds on hold! Advisor was efficient friendly and helpful, but they really need more people on the lines to prevent such lengthy waits and as mentioned being cut off after being charged for a call is wholly unacceptable in my opinion.....

davehughes182

electric_comperella wrote: »

Finally got through after 28 minutes 10 seconds on hold! Advisor was efficient friendly and helpful, but they really need more people on the lines to prevent such lengthy waits and as mentioned being cut off after being charged for a call is wholly unacceptable in my opinion.....

I agree with this to some extent. More staff would solve a small problem they have but the problem is that between April-May its dead. Most peoples Renewals get sent out between this time but as people leave it until July for one reason or another, the lines get mad busy. The rest of the year is pretty quiet so more staff would not be even considered by HMRC.

If people dont have any changes to make at all though, it would be so much easier to just fill the form in and return it. Saves money, time and stress.

[Deleted User]

I agree that people leave it until late, however it's not always the case.

For example I completed my paper forms - thought I'd save the call charges and bother.

So I sent them off the same week I got them. But they messed up my claim, used the wrong figures.

I had to call them to correct the figures and get things sorted. So even with the best attempt to sort things early and avoid calling - I ended up back at square 1.

What I should have done is to renew by phone first when I got the form and not bothered with the paper as I'm now told it's not worth what you write on it as they change it - but apparently can't do that when your on the phone to them.

Now I'm waiting for my incorrect award notices and then I expect corrected ones after that. I feel a few months wait coming on now.

Stressed

davehughes182

assj wrote: »

I agree that people leave it until late, however it's not always the case.

For example I completed my paper forms - thought I'd save the call charges and bother.

So I sent them off the same week I got them. But they messed up my claim, used the wrong figures.

I had to call them to correct the figures and get things sorted. So even with the best attempt to sort things early and avoid calling - I ended up back at square 1.

What I should have done is to renew by phone first when I got the form and not bothered with the paper as I'm now told it's not worth what you write on it as they change it - but apparently can't do that when your on the phone to them.

Now I'm waiting for my incorrect award notices and then I expect corrected ones after that. I feel a few months wait coming on now.

Stressed

They can still change it when you phone them. If you provide an incorrect figure for your income and they have access to your actual income from the employer, they will use the one the employer has issued. As for them using the wrong income, my understanding is when you send the form in, its scanned and not manually entered onto the systems so if they use the wrong figure, the form has been completed wrong

missty25

I normally get my payment on Wednesdays weekly, but today have had a random amount of 6.56 into my bank, tried phoning but getting cut off and have not received any correspondence from them about my renewal.

I sent my claim off way back in June. What to do?

beckie.gedge

I have been trying to sort mine for weeks, but my previous employer didnt send me my P45 or final payslip when I left and I have been chasing them for ages, now I finally have the figures (only managed to get them today), I cant get through, just keep listening to automated rubbish for 4 mins then told to call back later, Ive called 8 times today and each call is costing 47p each, its absolutely disgusting, it should either say this at the start of the call or place you in the queue, private businesses wouldnt get away with that, so why should they. I plan on complaining after I renew and sending them a bill for the wasted phone calls that I have made, I cannot afford to be paying for un-necessary calls, we are a single income family, struggling as it is without these rediculous costs on top, they can foot the bill for their incompentencies.

Toxicity

Doesn't pressing # skip most of the irrelevant pre-recorded crap at the beginning of the call? I was frustrated with being made to listen to it a couple of weeks ago when I called them and hit it and it skipped straight to the "Press 1 for blablah" options.

Or maybe after the 5th time of hearing it I had gone a little loopy and imagined it all.

beckie.gedge

Toxicity wrote: »

Doesn't pressing # skip most of the irrelevant pre-recorded crap at the beginning of the call? I was frustrated with being made to listen to it a couple of weeks ago when I called them and hit it and it skipped straight to the "Press 1 for blablah" options.

Or maybe after the 5th time of hearing it I had gone a little loopy and imagined it all.

i tried that it doesnt do anything

shedboy94

beckie.gedge wrote: »

I have been trying to sort mine for weeks, but my previous employer didnt send me my P45 or final payslip when I left and I have been chasing them for ages, now I finally have the figures (only managed to get them today), I cant get through, just keep listening to automated rubbish for 4 mins then told to call back later, Ive called 8 times today and each call is costing 47p each, its absolutely disgusting, it should either say this at the start of the call or place you in the queue, private businesses wouldnt get away with that, so why should they. I plan on complaining after I renew and sending them a bill for the wasted phone calls that I have made, I cannot afford to be paying for un-necessary calls, we are a single income family, struggling as it is without these rediculous costs on top, they can foot the bill for their incompentencies.

I'm sorry, but 4 mins on an 0345 tel no. would not cost 47p.

Private businesses do worse. They charge premium rate costs and keep you on hold for a lot longer than 4 mins when they are busy

Why are HMRC incompetant when you are the one that has waited until the last minute to call? You have also chosen to phone instead of filling in the form that takes literally 20 secs to complete.

What would you suggest HMRC do when hundreds of thousands of people are waiting until the last minute to call, when they could have done so weeks/months before, or when they could have just sent in the renewal?
The phone lines are also clogged up by those who don't need to call, but do so because they either can't or choose not to read a simple form, or listen to a message at the start of the call that tells them not to call.

beckie.gedge

shedboy94 wrote: »

I'm sorry, but 4 mins on an 0345 tel no. would not cost 47p.

Private businesses do worse. They charge premium rate costs and keep you on hold for a lot longer than 4 mins when they are busy

Why are HMRC incompetant when you are the one that has waited until the last minute to call? You have also chosen to phone instead of filling in the form that takes literally 20 secs to complete.

What would you suggest HMRC do when hundreds of thousands of people are waiting until the last minute to call, when they could have done so weeks/months before, or when they could have just sent in the renewal?
The phone lines are also clogged up by those who don't need to call, but do so because they either can't or choose not to read a simple form, or listen to a message at the start of the call that tells them not to call.

Excuse me, how dare you accuse me of lying, i have the bill online right in front of me, it is 47p per call! you havent thought to take into account the connection charge!

I did not "choose to leave it to the last minute at all" Ive been trying to sort this since before I even received my renewal pack thank you very much. And blondebubbles, it just shows how much you know, you are not allowed to "estimate" the 2011/2012 tax year figures only the 2012/2013. I have been chasing this information for a long time, and it has been very stressful. They are incompentent yes, because they should have a better phone system, I'm not complaining about being on hold, I am complaining about the fact that Im not even given the option to hold and I am therefore charged yet another connection charge when I try again. The message that they cant take your call and to call back should be at the very start of the call, instead of leaving me to pay a connection charge, plus 3-4 minutes of call charges over and over again.