Letter from Moorcroft on behalf of HMRC

erincxox

Hi there, unsure if this is in the right category. Today my husband received a letter from Moorcroft Debt Recovery saying he owes £380 to the HMRC. He works full time and received his letter back in April with his new tax code and never received anything after saying he was due any sum of money to them. Even if he missed the letter as he works full time I don’t understand why they wouldn’t adjust his tax code as the have done with myself in the past when I’ve paid too little. We are very unsure where this debt has come and have no form of outstanding debt aside from our mortgage so are unsure what to do now. Do we contact HMRC or do we simply ignore and they will go away? I have read a few of the forums on here saying to send a letter asking for proof of the debt and that usually closes your account with them, is this the case? 

Thank you for any help or advice. 

D3xt3r5L4b

Contact Moorcroft and ask them what it relates to

bradders1983

Moorcroft is certainly a company that HMRC use:

https://www.gov.uk/if-you-dont-pay-your-tax-bill/debt-collection-agencies

Without knowing the history of your husbands tax affairs its difficult to work out why they just didnt adjust his tax code.

Has he ever been self employed?
Has he even been declared bankrupt?
Has he ever received taxable benefits like a company car?

sourcrates

Send the provit letter to Moorcroft, alternativly give HMRC a ring and ask them, do not ignore it, a Government debt will not just go away.

jimbo26

As another has suggested, HMRC normally recover the underpaid tax by adjusting the tax code, so seems odd. I suggest he contacts Moorcroft., could even be an error on the part of HMRC.

badmemory

It isn't unknown for them to pass debts on that have already been paid so check carefully.

MinuteNoodles

erincxox said:

Even if he missed the letter as he works full time I don’t understand why they wouldn’t adjust his tax code as the have done with myself in the past when I’ve paid too little.

He could have been sent a letter telling him he had to complete a self assessment which he ignored because he's on PAYE. Even if you're on PAYE, if you're sent one of those letters you have to complete one. Failure to complete one even if you're on PAYE carries the same penalties for late and non-submission as it does for the self employed. Chances are it was because of that. Those penalties are generally not recouped via your tax code without prior arrangement.

Shakin_Steve

My wife received a demand from HMRC for £3300 not long ago. After long waits in the phone, this was reduced to £4 which she duly paid. The thing is, this was done on the simple tax assessment. She was told to pay before January 31st and the letter stated that the amount could not be collected by an adjustment in her tax code.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/issue-briefing-simple-assessment-ending-the-tax-return/simple-assessment-ending-the-tax-return

She has never filled out a self assessment form and is taxed through PAYE.

oxroxx

Lots of guys at my employer were caught out by HICBC.
Do you receive Child Benefit and earn over £50,000?