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AIBU?

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Original poster

to HATE to Tax Credits helpline!!!!!!!

35 replies

iloveithere · 07/07/2014 11:41

I hate talking to the voice recognition machine, repeating everything twice, giving all my personal details to it, taking 4 minutes, only to be told they are too busy and I should call back later, then it hangs up on me. AAARRRGGGHHHH

Also having to listen to a load of recorded information about how I can renew on line, I DON'T WANT TO RENEW, I WANT TO TALK TO A PERSON.

OP posts:
bochead · 07/07/2014 11:43

You have my sympathy! Moved house recently and it took days to inofrm the tax credits people (after 45 mins or so holding my kid needed my full attention each time). What should have been a simple 5 min job turned into a flipping mission.

icclemunchy · 07/07/2014 11:48

I spent 47mins I hold last Monday, when I actually spoke to a person the call took 2mins 23secs Confused

BornToFolk · 07/07/2014 11:49

I feel your pain. I have to phone them tomorrow to let them know of a change to my salary. Why can't I do this by email or letter? Angry It drives me insane that the only way you can let them know of updates is by phoning their infuriating "help"line.

Original poster
iloveithere · 07/07/2014 11:54

This time it wasn't too bad actually. I just got off the phone, total call time was 21 mins.

Last time I had to call them I spent 2 lots of 20 minutes on hold, both times the battery on my phone ran out and cut me off ( have since got a new phone), and a third time of 43 minutes to actually make the changes.

It costs a fortune, and the children get very very bored waiting for me.

OP posts:
missw88 · 16/07/2014 11:37

I feel your pain. Although, called them myself recently and got so frustrated with it that after a while I ignored all the voice prompts (it wasn't understanding basic words like 'yes /no' so I gave up!) and low and behold, eventually it said 'Press 1 for this.. etc'. Which I much prefer. Sadly that didn't help the wait time or the fact that they randomly hang up on people!

Ellisisland · 16/07/2014 11:42

Last time I gave up and wrote them a letter with all the info and said in the letter that I had tried calling but could never get through. All my info was changed and I received a letter in the post confirming about 2 weeks later.

MrsMikeDelfino · 16/07/2014 11:55

Ignore the press 1 for this and 2 for that stuff. Don't press anything. Or if it's a voice prompt thing, stay silent through it all. It might repeat itself as it thinks you haven't heard, but if you stay quiet all helplines/centres put you through to a real person instead.
Always works for me Smile

bigdog888 · 16/07/2014 12:29

if you stay quiet all helplines/centres put you through to a real person instead

Not strictly true, whilst you may eventually end up with a person it may have actually taken longer to get through to them. Once you are through to a person the call will almost certainly take longer as they have to take all your details/security etc then they may have to transfer you to someone who can actually help which is where you would've ended up had you followed the correct process.

thismumismad · 16/07/2014 13:08

HMRC land based number 02890 538192 will be free to those with free minutes on mobiles. I've used this number for years now got it from Sayno20870 website.

enterthedragon · 16/07/2014 14:17

just taken less than 20 minutes to get through all the rigmaroll, waiting on hold, updating renewal and declaring changes.

shortest amount of time i've ever spent on the phone to them.

Ronmione · 16/07/2014 14:20

If you call at 7.58 it takes a couple of minutes to do the voice activation then you get put through as you are one of the first in line,

dobedobedo · 16/07/2014 14:22

They're total bastards to get on the phone. It's awful.

montysma1 · 16/07/2014 15:16

I posted on here earlier looking for help as the help line doesnt "help".
Even when you get a person, they either give you attitude or dont answer the question. You can almost see them ticking boxes and giving a rote answer from their script, which doesnt actually answer what you asked. Not everyones situation fits into boxes and if the help line wont help, who will?

JazzyThistle · 16/07/2014 16:23

I phoned them yesterday, 21 minutes waiting, under 2 minutes speaking. It's ridiculous.

It was ok 5/10 years ago, it's gone drastically down hill.

SacreBlue · 16/07/2014 16:29

Ditto Ron I got through in 30secs this morning, dialling at click of 8am.

Last year I waited ages and then phoned the out of uk number "But I saw it's a Belfast code, I thought it ok to ring it" Got a bit of a telling off and admittedly was my own sad fault for not ringing earlier but there we are.

I did better this year and hoping no-one outside uk is too annoyed I used their number last year :)

I do notice though that it is possible to renew online if your pack has the right code - fingers crossed I can do that next year as I have always found online HMRC (normal end of year tax stuff) to be bloody marvellous.

Kewcumber · 16/07/2014 16:35

How do you do it online? My form just says phone us or send back the form... online would be great

SacreBlue · 16/07/2014 16:36

Btw on the attitude/not fitting the boxes thing. I found too that being s/e doesn't tick all they want - weekly hours for a simple astoundingly huge point of fact.

Summer months I barely work 6-8 but winter I can be 35+ with all variants in between. I have found it best to work out the average and give them that with whatever date suits (I always go with start of tax year for any changes unless I had a massively great client somewhere else in the year)

No idea who's Belfast based but the guys at their drop in clinic (well the two I saw in my first 2yrs) were really helpful and very nice.

SacreBlue · 16/07/2014 16:39

x-post just look up tax renewal online and check the codes against your rental pack - depending on the codes some can do it online.

Some can do it online.

SacreBlue · 16/07/2014 16:40

"You can renew your tax credits online if you’ve received a renewal pack with an ‘annual declaration’ with the code ‘TC 603 D’. "

Kewcumber · 16/07/2014 16:47

Thanks! I think you can only renew onine if your detials haven't changed - My salary changed 6 April 2014 so I need to call them about change anyway oh joy

Kewcumber · 16/07/2014 16:49

Apparently I can't renew online because although my codes match I have the "wrong colour envelope"!!!!!

Seriously?!

Kewcumber · 16/07/2014 16:52

"Thanks for waiting. One of our advisors will be with you as soon as possible"

Liar liar pants on fire.

Kewcumber · 16/07/2014 16:55

"You can renew your tax credits online if you’ve received a renewal pack with an ‘annual declaration’ with the code ‘TC 603 D’. "

But only if you have a white envelope Sad Confused

Brown envelopes are segregated into an offline ghetto

Thecircle · 16/07/2014 16:59

If you can wait til then lines are open Saturdays 8-4 and are generally much quieter than weekdays.

Although if you do need to call during week I'd suggest school run times on a Thursday.

Kewcumber · 16/07/2014 17:15

Done - so only 20 minutes holding!