HMRC response time September 2024

Famau

hello.  I wondered if anyone had any idea about HMRC response times at the moment?  I appreciate it will vary dependent upon the topic - and I have raised this before elsewhere some time ago, so apologies if I should have repeated/updated my question there...

I received a letter from HMRC in April stating that they would contact me within 8 weeks regarding my late mother's income tax.  16 weeks have now elapsed.  As her income was from state & NHS pensions and a few bank accounts (ie relatively simple) I wonder why the delay.  I also wrote to HMRC in early July with a calculation of post-death estate income and tax, asking how to pay the tax - no reply.  I am keen to close everything down and distribute the last few funds. 

I really don't understand why HMRC would say that they'd write within 8 weeks and then fail conspicuously to do so.  Do they have a supply of standard template letters from an earlier, more efficient, period of their history that they need to use up?  Don't they want payment?  Is anyone else in the same boat waiting for sign of HMRC life??

Hoenir

My income tax reconcilation for 23/24 hasn't been finalised yet. My partner had hers 6 weeks ago. Getting impatient doesn't speed anything up. 

Marcon

Famau said:

hello.  I wondered if anyone had any idea about HMRC response times at the moment?  I appreciate it will vary dependent upon the topic - and I have raised this before elsewhere some time ago, so apologies if I should have repeated/updated my question there...

I received a letter from HMRC in April stating that they would contact me within 8 weeks regarding my late mother's income tax.  16 weeks have now elapsed.  As her income was from state & NHS pensions and a few bank accounts (ie relatively simple) I wonder why the delay.  I also wrote to HMRC in early July with a calculation of post-death estate income and tax, asking how to pay the tax - no reply.  I am keen to close everything down and distribute the last few funds. 

Understaffing, WFH, holidays, poor management...take your pick. This comment was posted in late 2022 and doubtless there is still an overspill:

The reality is that HMRC is still underfunded and suffering from Covid-19's lasting impacts, which included a huge backlog caused by outdated technology that wasn't designed for remote work.

Famau said:

I really don't understand why HMRC would say that they'd write within 8 weeks and then fail conspicuously to do so.  Do they have a supply of standard template letters from an earlier, more efficient, period of their history that they need to use up?  Don't they want payment?  Is anyone else in the same boat waiting for sign of HMRC life??

 
Wild optimism. See what https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-when-you-can-expect-a-reply-from-hmrc yields - but take it with a large spoonful of salt.

Huge numbers of people are in the same boat, so if you can temper your natural desire to get things done promptly and efficiently, you'll have a happier life for the next few months!

Hoenir

The more times that the HMRC get rung up the less productive work that gets done.There's no great secret to operating efficiently. These days far too often a forgotten art. 

Bobziz

FWIW, I'm in pretty much exactly the same position as you and have just phoned. They haven't even reviewed the info and letter I was asked to send in July but have now asked me to submit a self assessment form which I should receive in two weeks time. At this rate I'll be lucky to hear anything before Christmas.

DairyQueen

My brother died in April and his tax affairs (rebates due for last and this tax years) were processed and paid in July. HMRC sent me a letter some weeks after he died advising that they would be in touch in due course.

Famau

DairyQueen said:

My brother died in April and his tax affairs (rebates due for last and this tax years) were processed and paid in July. HMRC sent me a letter some weeks after he died advising that they would be in touch in due course.

Thanks for that.  It does seem that there is little predictability around when HMRC may respond.  I will leave it until the end of September and then pursue them by phone.  That would be almost 20 weeks against their "we will write within 8 weeks" letter so not unreasonable to get a little clarification I hope...

Peter_LA

Raised a query on HMRCs tax calculation on a With Profit Bond redemption (23/24).  HMRC calculation received August.  Top Slicing rules overlooked.  Appeal raised Sept.  No response 20 November.  Phoned today.  HMRC say bit of a backlog.  They should reply by March 2025.  HMRC need 6 months to respond to an issue that seems pretty straightforward.  The backlogs must be hell, perhaps even insurmountable ?

Shedman

Famau said:

DairyQueen said:

My brother died in April and his tax affairs (rebates due for last and this tax years) were processed and paid in July. HMRC sent me a letter some weeks after he died advising that they would be in touch in due course.

Thanks for that.  It does seem that there is little predictability around when HMRC may respond.  I will leave it until the end of September and then pursue them by phone.  That would be almost 20 weeks against their "we will write within 8 weeks" letter so not unreasonable to get a little clarification I hope...

Just wondered if you have finally had anything further from HMRC?  

In my case as I hadn't heard anything from them by early September other than the initial 'somebody will be in contact' response (MIL died mid April) I sent off on 9 Sept full calcs with detailed listing of income, interest by account etc for her personal 2023/24 and 2024/25 tax and also for the post death tax for the estate income.  I finally got the tax calcs back from them at the end of October (they clearly accepted my figures as they were in agreement with mine) but they sent three separate statements (one for each calc) over three consecutive days   .  So quite a quick response to my letter really given usual delays with HMRC.

Famau

Shedman said:

Famau said:

DairyQueen said:

My brother died in April and his tax affairs (rebates due for last and this tax years) were processed and paid in July. HMRC sent me a letter some weeks after he died advising that they would be in touch in due course.

Thanks for that.  It does seem that there is little predictability around when HMRC may respond.  I will leave it until the end of September and then pursue them by phone.  That would be almost 20 weeks against their "we will write within 8 weeks" letter so not unreasonable to get a little clarification I hope...

Just wondered if you have finally had anything further from HMRC?  

In my case as I hadn't heard anything from them by early September other than the initial 'somebody will be in contact' response (MIL died mid April) I sent off on 9 Sept full calcs with detailed listing of income, interest by account etc for her personal 2023/24 and 2024/25 tax and also for the post death tax for the estate income.  I finally got the tax calcs back from them at the end of October (they clearly accepted my figures as they were in agreement with mine) but they sent three separate statements (one for each calc) over three consecutive days   .  So quite a quick response to my letter really given usual delays with HMRC.

Well, I eventually rang them.  They said they had been waiting for one bank to return an interest figure to enable them to calculate tax due for 23-24.  I supplied it and a week later they sent out a tax demand which seemed about right. They also sent out a demand based on my figures for tax due during the administration period.   They also asked about income this f.y. until date of death (29 April).  I wrote with the information and later had a cheque repaying all income tax paid in April.  Unsurprising, as the total income was around 10k below the whole year's allowance of £12,570.  That said, their calculation was wrong - they had included all income in the administration period (post 29 April) as well as the April figure and arrived at a figure close to the threshhold (several accounts matured in the admin period).  I haven't bothered correcting HMRC as there is no material difference - though if any other income was missed and comes to light then I may have to do so. 

So - hopefully everthing is now sorted - though who knows !

It may well be worth you ringing them to see what is happening and whether there are any figures they think they are missing.  To be fair to HMRC the phone call was answered within a few minutes and I found the people i spoke to very helpful.