Getting throught to HMRC/DWP/PIP etc is just awful

But "Calls may be recorded for training and monitoring purposes" so there's that 😩.
I literally take names, departments, dates and times when I've called and being given BS information - I'm relentless with my receipts.

I agree. And yes, there is absolutely no point in some of them as they're completely incapable of doing anything that the caller can't easily do themselves. Anything that isn't obvious from the website, is outside their ability, as all they do is look on the website. If you get someone sensible, they may pass your enquiry to someone who knows what they're doing and you may get a call back. If they don't "know what they don't know", they'll just fob you off and maybe even tell you a load of garbage they've just made up or misunderstood.

I once had a cracker of a phone call with someone who clearly didn't have the faintest idea of the difference between a limited company and a sole trader. Started trying to tell me that a P11d and benefit in kind tax was due for a sole trader using a pick up truck! Wrong on so many counts. That's really dangerous if taxpayers are phoning up for advice and being told a load of bollocks!

But they are able to answer basic questions or have the know how to look up answers OR pass onto the relevant person, belittling staff because they are "minimum wage" is unhelpful.

they should know the basics though or there is absolutely no point in them doing the job, likewise they would be better telling someone they don’t know rather than telling them a complete load of garbage

Gordon Brown's reorganisations and policy of closing town centre offices and concentrating tax officials in a few huge call centres meant huge numbers of experienced/knowledgable tax inspectors took voluntary redundancy and were replaced by minimum wage workers who havn't a clue. Then they wonder why we have such a huge black hole in tax revenues (the official "tax gap"!).

Then they should pass your call to someone else who can deal with it rather than bluffing and blundering their way through the call just wasting everyone's time.

Been trying to get through to HMRC for months now, we've a WTC credit overpayment to repay.

They say I can do it online using the reference number on the letter - there is no reference number on the letter, nor on any letter I can find (not one that works!).

So I try to do it over the phone, we no longer have a landline. The mobile signal here is poor and tends to cut off if you're on hold for a long time, so far we've been cut off before getting through (and I am talking multiple attempts per day for months!).

DP has attempted to call from elsewhere but sitting in a local cafe or McDonalds attempting to call them isn't hugely practical and still results in him being on hold for ages then cut off as the signal around here generally is fairly poor. He'd have to go to the nearest city, that is the next plan, and park up somewhere and sit in the car. He's not really thrilled at the idea of freezing his tits off for hours to sort this out!

@Coffeeishot it’s really not like making coffee. They get trained to follow a script but they are not trained in tax

It's a result of austerity. Fewer staff, faster turnover because of poor wages.

It's a call centre they get trained. That's like saying somebody who works in a cafe gets minimum wage but can't work the coffee machine.

You just take photos & add as attachments. Very simple

The people answering the phone at Hmrc are paid minimum wage so I don’t think you can expect them to be experts

If OP is her childs appointee or has asked to be her appointee then the online form is not available.

You can send it in separately using your case number. You can upload it as well but it's not a requirement. I frequently send separate documents to DWP (I am a clinician and provide support letters, often, after the patient has already filled in the form)

@Mogzillas I took photos of clinic letters etc and uploaded these as evidence (I don't have a scanner). Each piece of evidence needs to be labelled with the relevant NI number and labelled e.g. "GP letter".

I agree, dealing with hospitals, HMRC, pension, nest, pip, sage. Get people telling me things I know are incorrect, I challenge them politely, they don't have the grace to back down.

I am in the process of organising this as I think it'll go into a black hole if I post it and I'll need copies for other tasks. But still have no idea of the address to send it to and without an account for her I can't load it up online. They're as secretive as MI5!

My son lives in a residential placement so the daily living component of his pip isn’t paid but and when he comes home for a visit I can claim it for him. I usually wait until he’s been home 3 or 4 times because it takes a good hour to get through, someone takes the dates and promises payment will be made. It’s rarely paid and then I spend at least 6 months chasing up lost payments. I wonder why I bother sometimes but as about 80% of his benefits is taken to go towards his care he really needs the money to be able to pay for his activities .

Calling HMRC - pick a time you have at least 2 hours free. Settle down in a comfy chair with a drink, a snack, a fully charged phone and Mumsnet.

Relax with phone on speaker and wait.

@Belaymehearties You can get further copies of the LPA from a solicitor. They can do certified, signed (on every page) copies of these which are as accepted as the original.

yes I agree the DWP are way behind in putting their processes online. I'm already in the system. I want to see if I can be updated to enhanced mobility due to my existing condition getting worse. I ended up sending in a letter with a changed answer to an existing question they already have on their form. Credit where credit is due, I got a text within two weeks saying a form will be sent out. They will be getting the exact same answer back though for their mobility question lol! I just wish they had an email service for existing claimaints at least where they can update their case.

I feel your pain

I did a PIP form a while back for my DS.

We were told on the phone the form would be with us within 2 weeks.

I called after 3 weeks of nothing (choosing options, waiting for 40 minutes) to finally be told it can take up to 6 weeks (why? They are just sending a bloody form!)

Finally got the form, completed it, sent it back within a couple of days.

They sent a letter to say we hadn't returned it (we had), I called again. Same rigmarole getting through. They passed us around before saying that, actually, they had it back, but hadn't processed it and we would hear about an appointment in the next day or two.

Nothing.

Called again.

Oh. We still haven't processed this form because we have 2 phone numbers for you.

Yep. Mine and DS's. You can use either. Process the bloody form!

Nothing.

Called again. Same shenanigans.

Yes. We've processed it. Don't know why you haven't had a text. You need an assessment, you will be sent an appointment

Nothing.

Called again.

No assessment required. You'll hear soon.

Nothing.

I sort of gave up at this point.

About a month later, money appeared in DS's account. No letter sent. No information. Just money.

Absolute bloody shambles. It's as if it's deliberate.

I WISH they would move it all online so people can log on and check the status of the application straight away. It surely can't be so difficult in 2025, for heaven's sake.

Totally agree, I work in tax so have a clue about what I am asking them to do so know when they are talking complete rubbish but your average person just phoning up would take what they were told by hmrc as gospel