to think the tax office should know who I am?

[cardibach]

I have just phoned to try to tell the tax credits people that my income is (and I mean slightly) outside their band for child tax credit this year. I had an auto renew letter, so that was all they wanted to check. The bands are wider next year and I'll comfortably fall within them. As an honest person I rang immediately I got the letter. THe man tried to comfirm my identity by name, birthdate and address, all of which I knew.
However, I have a 'small footprint' apparently (news to me, I take size 9) because I haven't bothered them before, except to make my original claim when child tax credit was introduced. He asked for a previous address, but wasn't happy as they had no record of my previous address (I have no idea why).
The AIBU bit is this - I've paid tax since I left full time education, and claimed a small credit for the last few years. I was trying to tell them something in THEIR favour, but now I have to go to a face-to-face meeting an hour's drive away to confirm I'm me. Shouldn't they know? Especially since all my salary is taxed at source, so they already KNOW what I earned?

That's a bummer for you

But it's not actually in 'their' favour, it's in yours.

exactly, it's in your favour, because it's important that this stuff is correct.
because the onus is always on you to keep them up to date.

it is annoying, though, that they haven't got your records.

Well OK, it's in my favour too so I won't get prosecuted , but what I mean is, I earned more than I was supposed to. If it leads to any change, it will be a request for repayment/reduction in next year's payments. I don't mind that, but I'd prefer not to have to take time off work to prove it...