HMRC - Lack of communication and income tax due.

bendipa

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81866964#Comment_81866964

Why is it confusing? I've explained twice already that I cannot register online, because I don't possess the ID requirements they ask for, ie passport and driving license. What they sent me in early 2025 was a paper assessment for tax year 2023-24. It showed all the workings for my income, and tax due, but was incorrect as they overstated my State Pension for that year.

I paid them online for the correct amount of tax due as I calculated it, and sent a letter to the address where the assessment came from explaining my workings, and appealing their assessment. I never heard back from HMRC regarding this, and have received no assessment from them for 2024-25. It could have been a simple assessment for 2023-24, but as I said it included my State Pension as well as interest on all savings.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81873801#Comment_81873801

It's particularly confusing because you don't seem to know the difference between Self Assessment (a tax return you complete) and an assessment HMRC calculate and send to you themselves.

bendipa

It wasn't a self assessment (tax return) if that clears it up. It sounds like it was the latter for 2023/24.

DRS1

The confusion is you started off talking about SELF assessment. What you got sounds like a Simple Assessment (as you now acknowledge). They are different things and if you do one you shouldn't get the other. You can tell for sure if you look at the letter you got last year. Does it have near the top in capitals and in bold the words YOUR SIMPLE ASSESSMENT TAX CALCULATION FOR 2023-4?

As I mentioned these things seem to get later each year and others may know better than me when you should get one for 24/5. Or you can call HMRC and persevere with the call (try at 8 am).

eskbanker

What they sent me in early 2025 was a paper assessment for tax year 2023-24. It showed all the workings for my income, and tax due, but was incorrect as they overstated my State Pension for that year.

Was the overstatement an obvious mathematical error, or were you perhaps caught out (as many are) by the fact that state pension is taxed based on what you were entitled to receive rather than what you actually did receive, which typically causes a minor discrepancy?

sheramber

According to HMRC , Simple Assessment tax calculations or letters are sent between July and the following March.

Phoning is better than writing as it takes weeks/ months to get a respond.

Phoning when lines open at 8am means you are at the front of the queue.

bendipa

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81874028#Comment_81874028

Have you ever tried phoning HMRC, and if so how long did it take for someone to respond?

Well here I am 14 months later and still no further along. Still unable to login to HMRC. Only receiving bot email responses when I tell HMRC I've forgotten my password/Gateway ID. I know my Gateway ID as I retained that from the original email they sent me when I first registered. I also kept a copy of my password (or thought I had) when I first set it, but it's never been accepted on logging in. Tried writing to HMRC, but no response. Tried ringing but no-one picks up at their end. So it seems I'm stuck in a permanent bureaucratic techno-loop.

Received another self-assessment request for 2024-25, but of course can't complete a tax form, because I can't login. Written to them yet again explaining the issue, asking them to send me a return form but not expecting any joy with them about that.

It's got to the point that I will have to contact my MP about this as that's about the last option I can think of before the situation turns seriously ugly. I 've kept all my letters to HMRC in case this situation ever goes to Court or I have to pay a fine, which I will refuse if it comes to that regardless of the consequences.

eskbanker

Print one off?

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69c14eb7bb0dfe55b83e4bac/SA100-2025.pdf

sheramber

Have you tried phoning as soon as lines open to be at the front of the queue.

https://www.gov.uk/find-hmrc-contacts/technical-support-with-hmrc-online-services

penners324

You get yourself a passport