Can hardly believe it - called the HMRC helpline to ask a quick question (and to make a small confession) and not only was the phone answered after the first ring (catching me by surprise so much I literally dropped the phone), the nice Scottish lady who answered was polite, helpful, and made no comment about my reluctance to call up and pay more tax.*
So there you go - a bit of the government that works. Albeit the one that takes money off us.
* Didn't get a P45 when leaving my previous company, which was a three man limited tax dodge set up in Dublin, such is how EasyJet likes to handle their human resources dept.
Have been on basic rate for the last year and decided not to worry about it until this years P60 rolled out (so things would get fixed in the tax code). That is, until someone told me that if you owe more than £3000 they can ask for the whole lot back in one go, hence the slightly sheepish call to local tax office.
All fixed now. Guilt abating.
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I speak to HMRC's call centres most days for work and 9 times out of 10 they answer quickly and do whatever it is I ask of them. Some of that is down to having access to the agents hotline, but a lot of it is knowing how to ask for what you want in language they understand.
It does depend on which call centre you get, as you cannot choose. Best results invariably come from the North Eastern centre, the worst from Merseyside, in my experience.
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>> Have been on basic rate for the last year and decided not to worry about
>> it until this years P60 rolled out (so things would get fixed in the tax
>> code). That is, until someone told me that if you owe more than £3000 they
>> can ask for the whole lot back in one go, hence the slightly sheepish call
>> to local tax office.
>>
>> All fixed now. Guilt abating.
Ahhh the troubles of the deservedly highly paid.
For Mrs B (a supply teacher) a year on Tax Code BR acts as a savings scheme.
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I've always found them helpful, as indeed have most govt or civil service depts when i've had the odd dealings with them.
its those who think they are cleverer than these depts or try to pull the wool find them rather more unforgiving.
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>>if you owe more than £3000 they can ask for the whole lot back in one go
Can't they just. And then interest for as long as it takes you to pay. I got hurt like that. And I mean hurt.
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I've only once had to pay them interest. Not a lot admittedly but it was another section of the inland revenue's fault I owed, and although it was money that was notionally and eventually mine, I hadn't actually received it yet. (Complications on sorting out my grandfather's estate).
And now, although I still comply with any regulations, I have zero respect for them.
Last edited by: Slidingpillar on Fri 19 Apr 13 at 22:12
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The mind boggles... - Alastairw
