to not tell Tax Credits that I have a new job?

[MrsPiddlewink]

This is the 5th time I have tried to contact them to 'let them know of any changes' (my job).

Been on hold for 25 minutes.

Other times have nearly been an hour before I've had to give up.

A couple of times they have just said there are too busy and to check the website.

[Purplecircle]

My understanding of the real time information that employers now do,is so that tax credits know about your change of circumstances from your employer.

They have to send a return every time you're paid which tells HMRC who has been paid, how much, how many hours worked, and how much tax and NI has been deducted.

I was told by someone from HMRC this is why tax credit renewals process is improving. I don't know if that's true as I don't claim them

[maddening]

It should be all online - ridiculous in this day and age!

[TinselHalo]

Yes, but you can - in theory - be issued with a penalty for failing to inform them within one month of the change occurring. You could also be liable to an overpayment.

[shrunkenhead]

Can't you just update the details when they send the next update form out usually near the start of the next tax year and they adjust your payments accordingly then?

[ILovePud]

You have my sympathies OP, HMRC is offering a terrible service at the moment, the waiting times and automated system are so infuriating. It never used to be like this and it's obvious there's been huge cuts but why on earth would you take it out on the person answering the call, the examples TinselHalo gives are horrendous, I hope those idiots get reported, presumably they've already given their details.

[YesIDidMeanToBeSoRudeActually]

Add message | Report | Message poster wishmiplass Thu 11-Dec-14 15:03:30
It makes me so dealing with those complete fucktards!


Wishmiplass, please don't use the word "fucktard" - it is highly offensive. It's a contraction of "fucking" and "retard" in case you genuinely don't know.

OP these phone calls are chargeable too. I would put it in writing, signed for, or if you do manage to get hold of them, make a note of time/date and who you spoke to - I speak from bitter experience.

[TinselHalo]

There used to be, many years ago, an option to make a claim online and the eventual plan was that you'd be able to make changes online too. But it was hit by massive amounts of fraudulent claims (single claims with disabled newborn triplets) using hijacked national insurance numbers so it was closed down.

There were plans, also many years ago, make the online system more robust and reopen it but there was no money to pay for it.

[Sirzy]

Yes it's a pain when you can get through but whenever I have needed to phone them the staff have been very helpful in helping ensure that everything is done properly

I agree I still don't understand why there isn't an online system to do it though!

[TinselHalo]

And if overtime makes up part of your normal weekly hours then it needs to be declared.

For example, if your contracted hours are 25 but you usually do five hours of overtime each week then you need to declare your hours as 30.

[TinselHalo]

What totesnamechanged said. DH works on tax credits. He is neither a "fucktard" or "stupid", to repeat two of the phrases used on this thread. He us doing his job as best he can and genuinely wants to help people but his hands are tied by an out of date computer system and complicated claim 'rules'.

They are so short staffed it's unreal and every advisor is under constant pressure to get their average call time down, their performance review depends on it and in turn their job can depend on their performance review. An advisor takes around 70+ calls a day and is expected to average around 6 minutes per call. DH also has to buy all his own stationary, etc because there isn't any money for it so when you're asking advisors to "just make a note" they possibly don't even have a notepad on which to make it. There are backlogs with post, claim form processing and referrals. Whenever one area gets too back logged, people are taken off their job to help clear the backlog, which is turn creates a backlog in their original work area. And so it continues. There simply aren't enough staff to make the department run even semi-efficiently.

And then people phone up, kicking off. DH has been threatened, has had lovely comments like "I hope your children die" and has had no end of shit treatment from people who think it's okay to speak to other people like they're "stupid" and "fucktards".

If you want to complain about Tax Credits, don't kick off with the person on the phone, write to your MP.

[immortalwife]

To expand on what I said previously, we had an appt with the hmrc guy who said on credits forms you declare the hours you are contracted to work. You also declare your years previous income so I think they even it out anyway as I would presume they understand about covering emergency hours and overtime?

So don't worry too much :-)

[TaliZorahVasNormandy]

I've been on JSA for most of the tax year. I'll tell them its 16 hours, fuck em, I still hate them over the overpayment fiasco.

[Harrietsferrets]

Last time I rang them to inform them of the change of circumstances ( DH lost his job) they decided to stop the money totally and when they deigned to reinstate it it was cut by two thirds.

[TaliZorahVasNormandy]

I have no idea what to declare, so much hassle for a 5 week contract.

[immortalwife]

I was told you just declare contracted hours...

[TaliZorahVasNormandy]

Well it averages out at about 21 hours per week over 4 weeks, no idea what my hours will be over christmas.

I havent worked at any other point in this tax year.

[TaliZorahVasNormandy]

Quick question - Do you have to declare any overtime? I've done about 8 hours of overtime and doing more. My contract hours are 16 hours.

[Totesnamechanged]

I work for hmrc, and mainly on tax credits.

Lots of people(mainly tax credits advisors) were made redundant earlier this year and many more are being made redundant shortly. This is despite higher than average call volumes and back office work.

On the whole the advisors do care, they want to help but are bound by archaic procedures and very high expectations re: calls taken and call times. Each second of every call is counted and compared from one week to the next.

Op- it's usually best to call during school run times or Saturdays(8am-4pm)- appreciate this is difficult if you work or do school runs though

[Hatespiders]

I tried to ring HMRC last week (about declaring an Interest Refund from a loan) and I got the Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba (courtesy of Handel) for 15mins, (hung up) 30mins (hung up) and 25mins (got through) Stupid woman hadn't a clue but was going to put me on hold while she asked her superior. I said I had to go out, so would she please write down the sum I'd received, my details and Tax reference number and note that I'd declared it. She seemed quite reluctant to do this.

Sod them. You try to be honest and tell them what you should and they couldn't care less. They really are totally inefficient and useless.

(Have since learned that the refund doesn't need to be declared anyway!)

[dancemom]

Phone at 8am its much easier to get through then

[Groovee]

I went back to work in 2005 and called to let them know I was working. But every year we have the same conversation about how I work and have informed them but miraculously it disappears off the system every year!!!

[wishmiplass]

Tali - tell them all about the interview and what you wore and that you'll be working with Tracy and Mike and that there a cappuccino machine in the kitchen and everything!

Or just let them know your hours, earnings and any child care costs

[TooHasty]

write and send recorded delivery