WTC renewal deadline tomorrow. AIBU shocked that I called and ...

[kaftanlady]

... they answered the phone in under a minute!
I've spend hours and hours trying to get through to them in the past year.

Last time it took 55 minutes for them to pick up.

And I've lost count of the times I've called them, spent ages going through the whole automated security rigmarole only to be told they're too busy and been hung up on. The main reason I've put off renewing so long is I've found it hard to find a spare hour to call them.

Apparently they've taken on 2,000 new staff. (No idea if permanent or temp though)

Don't forget to renew people!

It took me a week of trying a couple of times a day at various different times of the day to finally get through to a human being. This was last week. It was to tell them that they'd got some details wrong, and so my final decision was wrong.

Sometimes i got cut off, sometimes i hung on on hold till i couldn't any more and had to go out, sometimes there was a problem with the voice recognition thing taking your details and i had to start all over again.

Once, when i did get through, the person couldn't speak to me about my details because i was in 'overpayment' and had to put me through to a specific 'overpayment' department (even though my call wasn't about the overpayment) and what happened? I hung on on hold for 15 minutes before being cut off again!!

I did my renewal online. I was not calling them after the last time! This time was quick, easy, stress free.

Yup, I phoned them yesterday and after going through all the automated voice stuff I was straight through to a real person . I was grudgingly impressed.

At least some of the 2000 are from other departments/heads of duty. My sister used to work on tax credits, but moved to a different job last year. She's been groaning all week as she was one of the group selected from her team to move to renewals at the moment (she groans because of the system and poor training not the actual pitching in at a busy time).

I did mine online this time for that exact reason.

I had a text within the day to say they had it and my payments had changed in about a week.

I really hate the way the line tells you it's too busy then hangs up - and if you call on the local number they tell you off as you're 'not overseas'!

Ok, well I'll use my own phone bill to call then even though it costs a fortune THEN YOU HANG UP!

(Soz for the outburst. Still some residual anger from last year I think!)

Yes me too! A great improvement

I had read mine through three times. It says it will automatically renew if there are no changes. It specifically says "no need to do anything, this will automatically renew." That's a new one. I'm still nervous I've misread something.

I sent mine off by post. I've suddenly been struck with fear that they didn't get it!

HMRC have taken on 500 staff near me, temp 18 months contracts and staff have been told no one will get kept on.

I did mine online, but I haven't had a text to say they've recieved it. Should I have recieved one? Now I'm worried.

I did mine online last week too and haven't heard anything either x

"HMRC have taken on 500 staff near me, temp 18 months contracts and staff have been told no one will get kept on."

I wonder why only 18 months? Is it to help the transition to Universal Credit I wonder?

Do they think WTC won't exist after 18 months perhaps?

I spent 1 hour and 25 mins a few weeks ago on hold to them trying to pay them back some money I had been overpaid. Phone bill came this week and I'd been charged £8.00 for that call - twats.

The trick is...Google the number for calling them from overseas and use that number. It's a normal landline number (not 08) and they answer quickly :)

Renewed online but it took two days for me to get a text confirming they had renewed it on the system.

I havent had a text but i have a screenshot of the page saying they recievied it and id get an award notice in 8 weeks or so

im assuming we will get letters through to explain any decisions?

My tc were halfed in april and stopped altogether in may...

I got a text over 3 weeks ago to say it had been received (despise calling to renew as soon as I received the pack, 2 months ago!)
Still nothing. Wonder if that's because they owe me £2000 from last year

I got a text saying it would be years weeks (maybe 8?) until a decision is made, but they have stopped paying me, not a good sign

Same here beans. No explanation at all

The trick is...Google the number for calling them from overseas and use that number. It's a normal landline number (not 08) and they answer quickly

^This or if you have plenty of free minutes on a mobile phone contract they have an 0345 number on their letters now that counts as a call to a normal landline, so isn't charged, just deducted.

Surprised people are waiting so long. We did it online and got a text through the same day. Extra payment a couple of days later. Letter through in less than 3weeks.

I did mine online, was told it would be updated within 8 weeks. 8 weeks passed and I heard nothing so phoned them, spent a lifetime trying to get through and when u eventually got through they told me that nothing had been updated yet. They then renewed on the phone.
The online system clearly isn't working for everyone.

Alice, I have the same letter. It's because the NHS trust I work for are giving income figures directly to HMRC/DWP for benefits/tax credits purposes. Not sure if that's NHS wide though. I am still paranoid that I've misread the letter though and do actually need to do something.