Tax office..aaaarrgggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh

Garnet_Gem

I've had to call the tax office 3 times because I'm not getting my full tax allowance. I was told I owe them tax (I don't - they owe me a refund) and after my last call I've received a notice saying that my code is now BR and everything will be charged at 22%. It's like battering my head off a bring wall. How can I get this resolved? Any advice?

hopon

First thing is to put a bit of padding on the wall, they always screw you so a headache wont help

Have you found out why the think you have an underpayment? Also how have you come to the conclusion you are owed a refund? Is this all based on previous or current year etc.

Phoning often tends to lead to records not getting corrected unfortunately, it is far better to get the name of someone helpfull at the local office and either write or fax so at least you can try and get a two way communication with the same person and not have to keep explaining things.

Garnet_Gem

Thanks Hopon - I'll call again but back it up with a letter.

Tarasam

hopon wrote: »

First thing is to put a bit of padding on the wall, they always screw you so a headache wont help

Have you found out why the think you have an underpayment? Also how have you come to the conclusion you are owed a refund? Is this all based on previous or current year etc.

Phoning often tends to lead to records not getting corrected unfortunately, it is far better to get the name of someone helpfull at the local office and either write or fax so at least you can try and get a two way communication with the same person and not have to keep explaining things.

Staff at HMRC are over-worked and severely underpaid, are short staffed and treat like crap by the public!!! Its no wonder with comments like this.

By backing up with a letter you are causing additional unneccesary work.

Tarasam

Garnet_Gem wrote: »

I've had to call the tax office 3 times because I'm not getting my full tax allowance. I was told I owe them tax (I don't - they owe me a refund) and after my last call I've received a notice saying that my code is now BR and everything will be charged at 22%. It's like battering my head off a bring wall. How can I get this resolved? Any advice?

It sounds like either a P46 has been filled in incorrectly or there were no P45 dets from the last employer. When you call check this.
If your'e not happy with the service ask to speak to a team leader.

olly300

Garnet_Gem wrote: »

Thanks Hopon - I'll call again but back it up with a letter.

Correspond in writing OR via the telephone but not both.

If you do both not only are you creating extra work (for yourself and HMRC) you are likely to get conflicting information which will give you a worse headache.

System

Garnet_Gem wrote: »

I've had to call the tax office 3 times because I'm not getting my full tax allowance. I was told I owe them tax (I don't - they owe me a refund) and after my last call I've received a notice saying that my code is now BR and everything will be charged at 22%. It's like battering my head off a bring wall. How can I get this resolved? Any advice?

You would probably be better making an appointment at your local HMRC enquiry centre. The staff there can look at your record whilst you sit with them and they can take note of any discrepancies you find on your record. It would be helpful if you could take all relevant P60's and P45's with you so that they can pass your details on to the tax office which deals with your current employer and that office would be able to correct your record. They will also be able to show you what year you supposedly owe them tax for.

I should point out that as it stands currently with HMRC PAYE computer systems corrections/amendments can usually only be actioned by staff at the tax office which deals with your current employer. Helpline staff and indeed staff at other tax offices are limited to viewing your record but can't make any corrections themselves. This obviously causes delays whilst messages are passed to the relevant tax office. Currently it takes from 4 weeks upwards for post/messages to be actioned.

Previously HMRC were able to action such post within 15 working days, that is no longer possible in many cases because whole case work is being done away with and staff do parts of work. Also the government decided that "Time and Motion techniques" should be applied to clerical work and have got rid of large numbers of staff. In essence that means no one person, in the tax office which deals with your employer, works entirely on your record from start to finish.

hopon

kellyshay wrote: »

Staff at HMRC are over-worked and severely underpaid, are short staffed and treat like crap by the public!!! Its no wonder with comments like this.

By backing up with a letter you are causing additional unneccesary work.

Do you work for hmrc? the apparant lack of a sense of humour points that way... :rotfl:

If the op has already made 3 calls to get this corrected then sending a letter to back up the points is very valid. If it creates a bit of additional work for somebody to actually action the problem then tough, that's what they are employed for.

olly300 wrote: »

Correspond in writing OR via the telephone but not both.

If you do both not only are you creating extra work (for yourself and HMRC) you are likely to get conflicting information which will give you a worse headache.

Why should you get conflicting information? The tax record won't have changed so anybody that looks at it should come to the same conclusion.

John_Pierpoint

ALWAYS confirm a phone call, naming the person to whom you spoke.

You don't have to be nasty about it, tell them that is what you are going to do and there is no need to take notes because your letter will quote chapter and verse.

Hopefully you will get that rare creature, who is prepared to take a personal responsibility for their job and when they don't you will have something to send to your MP.

(Being underpaid and over worked is self evidently a reason for looking for a new job; it is not an excuse for doing a bad job in your present position.)

ctm_2

John_Pierpoint wrote: »

Hopefully you will get that rare creature, who is prepared to take a personal responsibility for their job and when they don't you will have something to send to your MP.

Comments like that are only going to serve to drive those allegedly rare helpful HMRC employees who come to this site to help people stop doing so, and add nothing to help the original poster solve the current issues.

I think what Pam17 was saying is that you will generally get better service if you write a letter, rather than ringing a contact centre. They have silly call targets, and can only do a fraction of the work.

A well written letter giving all the relevant facts is far more likely to get the desired response.

Garnet Gem, a few questions. Do you only have one job? Have you recently changed jobs?

You mention HMRC say you owe them. How much, and relating to what years? You also state you are due a refund. Again, how much, and relating to what years?

Garnet_Gem

I have changed jobs and now have a private pension and a salary. The only tax concession I've had since April 2007 was on my private pension (just over £2000 per year). My salary has been allocated a BR tax code and I'm getting tax deducted from it at 22%. This means that I'm being overtaxed. Joy of joys, this morning I had yet ANOTHER letter from the tax office telling me that my pension would now be taxed at BR rate so this means that ALL my earnings are taxed at 22% now - no tax allowance being applied. Where's that brick wall?