Independant contractor/self employed tax - help and advice needed please

chrismac1

To take just one example, it is now known that several call centres give precisely ZERO minutes of training to new call handlers. The reasoning behind this tells the uninitiated all they need to know about the 2013 UK tax system.

It goes like this. On average roughly 80% of new joiners to the call centre operations resign within the first 4 months. Hence giving them training is complete waste of money until they have been in the job 4 months. Trebles all round at the HMRC managers' bar!

At any private sector business in which I have managed any staff, had I suggested anything like this sort of strategy I would have been trained up in how to write my P45. But at HMRC this sort of stupidity gets you promotions!

chrismac1

Just in case you think I make this stuff up:

"My son's partner was recruited through an agency to work for HMRC in a call centre in the north east of England. She was given minimal training because it was expected that she would leave within 3 months due to the admitted drudgery of the job ! She admitted that there was very little management interest shown in the "cannon fodder" staff who were dealing with public enquiries whilst there was a clear mandate as to the x minutes of break per hour as required by the Health and Safety police.She admitted that some people would last barely a week, some a month or so but the better ones were bright enough to see that this was never a career move. The only ones who stuck around were the ones with no talent for using the technology which had cost a fortune no doubt and those who seemed to have a single talent for cutting off calls from people who might have spent 30 minutes to get through to a human being. The best bit it seemed was that some of those with the single talent were praised and rewarded for hitting targets of calls being dealt with !! She left after 10 weeks and I bet the guy who researched the anticipated 3 months and saved HMRC training costs was also rewarded for getting it right."


I can't wait for Margaret Hodge to get her teeth into this!

Gas_Powered_Toothbrush

That unsourced quote has certainly strengthened your case.

For the newer users to this site: he is making it up.

chrismac1

The Public Accounts Committee findings will be next up - are they making it up too? A bit busy this morning, but will find it in the next day or so.

chrismac1

PAC report March 2013: is this made up, Gassy Bogbrush?



“HMRC’s ‘customers’ have no choice over whether or not they deal with the department. It is therefore disgraceful to subject them to unacceptable levels of service when they try to contact the department by phone or letter.

“In 2011-12, 20 million phone calls were not answered. It cost the callers £136 million while they waited to speak to an adviser. And, against its target of responding to 80% of letters within 15 days, the department managed to reply to just 66%. This is an abysmal record."

It's worth noting that since the March report, letters replied to within 15 days, and calls answered have both improved. In my opinion, and that of most accountants, this has been achieved in 2 ways:

1. Replying to letters saying "We are looking into your case, yours faithfully HMRC".

2. Answering the phone but then seeking to cut the phone call off ASAP, as per the experience of the unsourced call centre person above.

So the statistics are improving, but typically it is through pure cynicism and not a genuine improvement in standards of service.

Gas_Powered_Toothbrush

chrismac1 wrote: »

Gassy Bogbrush

Let me know if you're willing to behave like an adult. Until then, it's best if you don't post anymore.