CM Club: Did I do the right thing?

[Katymac]

I had a phone call from HMRC - could I give them details of the amount this family paid for childcare during this period

I said maybe I'll check my records - what is your switchboard number & I'll phone back & ask for you by name

He said you can't - we don't accept incoming calls

So I said then write to me or email me

He said no

So I refused to provide the information

Was I right?

yes, and rightly

might be worth a call to HMRC to advise them of the call - the time and date, male or female caller

Yes. If they want the info they can request it via a letter.
You had no way of verifying the phone call was from HMRC.

He seemed to think I was being a pain.........glad I was right

Well maybe they need to come up with some secure communications method. Some kind of verification system to confirm who they are. Someone phoning you could be anyone, they may not even have been in this country.

Though why someone else would want the info I'm not sure - but perhaps it is useful to someone.
How much a family is paying is confidential info between them and you. It is shareable with the Revenue / Tax Credits - but only with consent of the family ... Don't think there is a legal duty to provide the info, is there?

The tax credits people can & do get childcare providers to confirm how much they are receiving from parents, otherwise the parents could say anything couldn't they.

Yep there is - HMRC have wide reaching powers (at least I always thought so)

Why would he say that they don't except incoming calls though? What a ridiculous thing to say! I've just had a quick look on the HMRC website and there's hundreds of contact numbers on there for various different departments!

Good call Katy!

it could be a parent of the child - for eg a mum (seperated from the dad) may be claiming she spends 500 a week on childcare and wants the dad to pay. He doesn't believe her.

Does that make sense? Yes I think you did the right thing, quick thinking, it probably wouldn't have dawned on me!

I did this too the HMRC blokey gave me his number (compliance dept) It checked out. This parent was overclaiming btw and had given my reg to a couple of friends as well who were also claiming care from wtc.
Needless to say I no longer have them on the books.

I got a call last week as well from the same chappy about another parent, I asked him lots of "security" questions .

Its quite normal now for hmrc to ring to check and they plan on doing it more often, its really hard to get put through direct to the same person who will be checking this specific claim,you will end up being passed around departments up and down the country.
`They may well stop the claim until you confirm the details.

I think you are absolutely right.

I would only give this info if they requested it in writing.

i thinkyou were right - sounds very bizarre to me. I have recieved a letter asking me to confirm how much a client paid in childcare oveer a stated period which i filled in and returned - you can't be expected to deal with a request like that instantly.