Fined £100 by HMRC for not submitting a tax return I was told I didn't need to submit

[Peae]

Last year I rung HMRC and they confirmed I didn't need to submit a tax return for the year ending April 2023. This sent me a reminder around December, so I rung again, and told not to worry about it. It was a general message for people who did and could be safely ignored. I asked if I needed anything in writing, and they said no.
Now I've received a message saying I have a £100 fine for late submission.

Any advice or experience? I feel pretty angry and frustrated, but not a lot I can do now until Tuesday.

A message? Are you sure it is genuine? Log into your tax account and see what is recorded.

Please do double check it isn't a scam.

Don't know, but exactly the same thing has happened to DH. He even had a letter saying he didn't have to complete the self assessment.

This does not sound ok. If in doubt phone HMRC using the number on the request for. Tax return

What type of message did you receive?

I got an email a few days ago but logged in to HMRC and it’s in my messages there. (Didn’t click through from the email).

Phone lines closed until Tuesday.

@DelphiniumBlue what has HMRC said to your husband?
(I can’t find any proof of what I was told. Am so pissed off and kicking myself).

Almost every year, I get a letter saying I no longer need to complete a tax return. Then I get the emails reminding me about my tax return.

When I ring the tax people, they say I don't need to do a return. I ask them to switch off the emails, then, but they never do, so I do a return, because I don't want the fine and it's clearly a shambles.

Shambles is the word. I despise HMRC. It is emblematic of everything wrong with the civil service - inefficient, high handed, slow, muddled. I have been waiting for over a month for something so basic. Was told it would be issued within 2 weeks a month ago. Spent over an hour queuing on the phone to them last week. Call handler told me it takes HMRC two weeks to send a letter. This country is fucked if this is the best we can do.

91,000 complaints were lodged about HMRC last year and collectively callers waited 800 years to speak to them in 2023.

@Teentaxidriver and that was just me 😂 (I'm an accountant). They're not got for purpose at all. You need to write an appeal letter. State your case and it will go away. It shouldn't happen in the first place though 😡

They’ve sent a letter fining him! Still trying to sort it out.

Personally id just pay it and move in. Twice I have tried to contest it and even though it was agreed I didnt need to pay it they still put on interest which raised it to £600 and then it was sent to debt collection agency. I just pay stuff now if its only a hundred or so. Not worth the hassle for me.

I usually get the reminder email, so I check here:

https://www.gov.uk/check-if-you-need-tax-return

which tells me I don't need to complete a tax return, so I don't.

No fines so far!

Can you log into your mobile phone account and find the date/time you called them ? They should have a record of calls I would have thought. Do any dispute in writing, don't rely on a call, follow it up by letter or email if not.

I know I shouldn't have giggled at this, but 😂

Is the 800 years a true statistic? I'd love to requote this everywhere with a source

I get the same letter every few years. I'm no sure it's coincidental but it's always after a year when I've overpaid and they owe me! I'm never u outward a lot- most has been £400, however my income from savings fluctuates so I do one every year anyway. This year I owed about £800. Last year they owed me about £300.
I just complete it.

I checked my phone, but have no records due to switching phone provider.

I too am wondering if it’s just easier to pay the fine. And presumably submit the tax return.

I react really badly around things like this - unfair and huge power imbalance. I find it hard to stay calm.

Why are you being asked to submit a tax return in the place? Is it because of your income or job status?

Personally I would just do the return.

I get these emails telling me to complete a tax return for months after I've already done it. So I've never considered them in any way an accurate reflection of what HMRC need me to do.

That said, this page says HMRC will send a letter if they agree you don't need to do a return https://www.gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns/no-longer-need-to-send-a-tax-return

And I'm guessing you didn't get a letter (surely @DelphiniumBlue 's DH will be on pretty safe grounds to contest the fine, though).

Oh btw this page allows you to submit an appeal straight away and they say they will cancel the fine if it turns out you don't need to do a self-assessment return https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-when-to-appeal-a-self-assessment-penalty-for-late-filing-or-late-payment

Why do you need to do a return, do you work PAYE and have extra income to declare, I think you have to do one if you sell over £1000 on eBay but not for bank interest under a certain amount as that come under PAYE

I just had this and I used the the virtual chat on their site to 'yalk' to someone and I told then I did their tool check and I didn't need to submit one as I havent sold shares, they assumed i was self employed 🙄 and I said I don't forsee needing to do one every year unless I sell some shares but not planning to for a few years. They sorted it out and waived the fee and I had official letter by post confirming. So just contact them I found the virtual chat easier to get hold of someone.

People have to file a self-assessment for higher charge child benefit payment. I went online to point out to them that I no longer received child benefit after they sent messages about doing a self assessment again in Dec. I got a letter to confirm though later on that I didn't need to. The online chat is very useful actually as I saved my conversation with them.