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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be completely livid at HMRC

25 replies

gastonscave · 31/07/2011 12:52

Have spent three days trying to get though to HMRC it give DH's estimated income for 10-11.

I didn't even get though security!!! Apparently the information I gave didn't match the information they have.

DOB, fairly sure I know this one
NAME, again fairly sure I know it
NI number, has been the samesince my sixteen birthday

It was heavily hinted at that I don't know my DOB and I should send in a copy of my birth certificate WTF!!!! I have been dealing with these incompetent fools for seven years and am fairly certain my DOB hasn't changed. It's the same date I have always given them, the same date on my birth certificate the same date I was born on 37 years ago

What the hell is wrong with these people. I am so cross

OP posts:
mumatron · 31/07/2011 12:55

They are idiots. they tried to tell me I had got my son's name wrong recently Hmm

And what kind of security question is 'what was the first film you saw in the cinema?'

belledechocchipcookie · 31/07/2011 12:56

They have changed the security details. Hmm They can ask you other questions though. Can you call them back?

belledechocchipcookie · 31/07/2011 12:56

sorry, the Hmm was for them, not for you. Blush

itisnearlysummer · 31/07/2011 13:18

Oh I know.

When we claimed for working/child tax credits, I phoned to renew my claim and then got a letter telling me that my award was being cancelled and the money being reclaimed because I didn't have any children! Hmm

When I contacted them to put them straight I was told that they were correct because "I'm sorry, but you don't have any children". It did get sorted eventually (during that phone call). Apparantly someone on their end had made a mistake. Really!

SummerLeaps · 31/07/2011 13:24

I have just written to HRMC again this week (before the stuff came out in the papers) as they have asked me 11 times in 3 years for my self-employed NI contributions, despite the fact that i de-registered as self employed in 2006.

I have spoken to them on the phone, I have written, I have done everything I could, and yes I got one of those now infamous 'we will send baillifs in' letters just 2 weeks ago.

So, that is the background to my complete and utter lack of respect for them. And what is galling, is that we are paying for them.... we are paying god knows how much out of our taxes for them to just stuff things up so spectacularly.

edam · 31/07/2011 13:27

I half-heard something on Radio 4 where someone was saying they've had wave after wave of redundancies, so there just aren't enough people to read the post/answer the phones/do the job. Not much comfort when you are on the receiving end of incompetence, I know...

Original poster
gastonscave · 31/07/2011 13:29

I can't ring back as it's on system as I answered the question wrong. I have to send in my birth certificate

What I can't understand is my date of birth is linked to my NI number so how can they get it wrong. Surely all departments within HMRC should be able to talk to one another. They should know how much money me and my husband earn we send the the tax returns every year. All these deadlines and reapplying every year is completely unnecessary.

OP posts:
vj32 · 31/07/2011 16:53

DH spent ages sorting out the tax return of a man who had demand massive payment from HMRC. Turned out they had mixed up him and another man with the same name. No other retails were the same. But it still took years for them to sort it out.

Although he says they have actually been better this year than previous years. Not sure if he has a special phone number or something.

alowVera · 31/07/2011 17:04

Haha! Love this thread- in a perverse way.

I got a letter 2 years ago from them stating that I had been over paid child tax credits, when I asked why, I was told "because you were not responsible for your children for that week". They couldn't answer when I asked who had been!! Shock, I asked for them to investigate and tell me exactly why and when I was not responsible for my children. I'm still waiting to hear back from them. But they did re-instate my tax credits the following week, with a backdated payment. Confused

Oh and I've also failed the security questions, um not sure which part of my name, dob or address, I must have given wrong Angry idiots.

I play with them now, and randomly ask them security questions, I always make sure that I get their full name.

The biggest one way after the birth of my 1st daughter, when they didn't award me child tax credits for 3 months, and when I chased it they were adamant that I hadn't told them, BUT they had my daughters name and dob, and my last recorded phone call to them 5 days after her birth. They couldn't wriggle out of that one!

alowVera · 31/07/2011 17:05

Gaston you CAN ring back, they just can't correct themselves it in the same phone call.

Helenagrace · 31/07/2011 17:11

I don't buy the "not enough staff" story. They have enough staff to ring me every week for the last three months along the following lines:

HMRC "you haven't returned your tax credit forms Mrs HG"

Me "Yes I know. We earn too much so there's not much point"

HMRC "But you have to return the forms"

Me "Why. I don't get any money and you already know how much I earn. I do self assement every year, as does my husband and our limited companies are all up to date with corporation tax returns"

HMRC "But you have to return the forms. You might qualify"

Me " I won't. I've seen the figures. I know"

HMRC "But we need the forms"

Me "Why. What are you going to do to me if I don't return the forms?

HMRC "Erm. Well. Erm. Hmmm. You do need to return the forms though"

Me "Like I said. Why?"

HMRC "Because we need them"

I'm staggered that they have the staff to make 12 phone calls to someone who really doesn't need them and yet can't answer the phone to people who really need advice and help.

What a total mess.

Original poster
gastonscave · 31/07/2011 17:29

Alow vera. They have the wrong DOB for me so I wouldn't get pass security as I don't know what DOB they have decided to give me Angry

The cheeky mare I was on the phone to basically told me I was mistaken over my DOB and maybe I should check my birth certificate when I said fine I would walk downstairs and check he told me I couldn't put him on hold as he didnt have time to wait, although it was me paying for the call and I have previously been on hold for twenty minutes waiting for them to answer the phone

OP posts:
Original poster
gastonscave · 31/07/2011 17:34

Helenagrace that I what I don't understand. We send everything to HMRC, PAYE, NI contributions, tax returns. Why cant the departments communicate with the other and do away with this ridiculous farce every year, surely it would save money. By doing away with all the paper alone would save millions, two copies of everything everytime they write is crazy

OP posts:
LineRunner · 31/07/2011 17:34

Sorry don't mean to hijack thread but I'm wondering if any of you can tell me whether it is likely HMRC are making a mistake with me? I only earn just under £18,000 full time at present, have two school aged children, and have just been told I will get NO working tax credit this year, only child tax credit. I'm a lone parent.

Is this a HMRC fuck up, or am I indeed the one that's now fucked?

OP, if worst comes to worst send your details recorded delivery tomorrow so at least you have proof you gave the information in.

alowVera · 31/07/2011 18:14

gaston I have made them wait whilst I rummage through my filing cabinet for additional information, I have also made them get a calculator and work out my income (2contracts for 1 place of work so 2 different pay rates).
I would advise to to try calling them again, because once they have put the wrong answer into the security they cannot change it, and would say it was your fault, I would phone them back and double check before you send off your birth certificate to them. They may also ask for different security questions next time, I never get the same ones twice. And if they ask different questions you can get them to check your dob.

alowVera · 31/07/2011 18:15

linerunner you can check for yourself www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/start/who-qualifies/quick-questionnaire.htm

bruffin · 31/07/2011 18:22

My friend had the same problem.They had the wrong date of birth for her and would not discuss anything with her because she couldn't give them the DOB they had on their records. It was incredibly frustrating to sort out!

RoyalWelsh · 31/07/2011 18:30

I just thought I'd pop in and add that they messed me around a heck of a lot last year. They also told me that I would have to write in with information because I answered security questions 'wrong.' Just on the off chance, I called them back five minutes later, spoke to somebody else and sailed through security Hmm

It taught me to always say "ok, thankyou" hang up, then call back. In my experience, you have to speak to at least three different people before someone tells you anything resembling fact and/or truth.

LineRunner · 01/08/2011 10:19

Thanks, alowVera.

According to their website, I should get something.

In RL I'm getting nothing!

My income hasn't changed for the past 3 years.

BlueCat2010 · 01/08/2011 10:26

When I cocked up my security questions I just had to take some ID in to my nearest HMRC office and they reset them - can you not do that rather than trust your birth certificate to Royal Mail?

biddysmama · 01/08/2011 11:08

my friend had £3000 put in her bank account by tax credits, it took them 3 weeks of her ringing them to find out where it had come from and who it was for (not her) but she has to pay it back in instalments out of her tax credits instead of all at once Confused

hermionestranger · 01/08/2011 11:20

They are idiots of the highest magnitude. We had a letter saying we owed £800 in underpaid tax. We discovered that a P45 error was to blame. Old employer contacted, correct information received and sent off to HMRC. Guess what. Told that we still have to pay. Another letter sent stating that correct info sent and due to statute of limitations means that we owe nothing. Another letter saying here is new tax code, you are paying it back. So we sent ANOTHER letter saying that HMRC (or HM revenue and bastards as we now call them) are wrong and finally, finally they dropped it. 7 months that took!

khaliwali · 01/08/2011 11:25

I used to work with an extremely unpleasant woman in the Middle East who was on a two year paid sabbatical from HMRC on condition that she didn't take paid work. She earned about £2,000 a month tax free. She despised most humans but particularly anyone who questions the tax system. She once told a group of us how, after they have 25 tax returns on their desk, they shred any extra that come in to avoid being behind on their targets. She also used to compete with her colleagues on just how much they could screw over people in the top tax bracket as "they are all idiots who earn obscene amounts".

EricNorthmansMistressOfPotions · 01/08/2011 11:28

That just happened to me. Called again (another 30 mins on hold) and it went through fine. Dicks

spiderpig8 · 01/08/2011 11:54

I had this and they had got mine and my DH's DoBs the wrong way round.Forunnately after several attempts I spok to an assistant with a brain who twigged what had happening
YANBU!!!

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