Paying too much tax on the wrong salary

[Phyllostachys]

I changed jobs 2 months ago. It's clear from my payslip that I'm paying too much tax. So I looked on the HMRC website and they've got some weird mistakes.

HMRC have my leaving date from my previous job, and the amount I earned from it in this tax year is also correct, but they have predicted that I will earn £8K in this tax year from the job that I have left.

This means that my tax free allowance for my actual salary from my actual job is reduced by £8K (that I am not earning), so I'm paying more tax than I should.

Added to that, they have my projected annual salary down as about 4.5 x my actual salary, which puts me firmly into the top tax bracket.

How do I correct this? How do such mistakes happen?

Phoning is easiest. The call centre staff are pretty good and they've seen it all so can explain/solve most issues.

Sounds like the haven’t received your p45 yet… you can create an online hmrc account via the app and update your income on there so would be £0 for your old job and then whatever your salary
is and chase your old job to send the p45

It won't let me update my income. Where would they get these random figures, anyway?

I dread phoning them - I've only heard horror stories about calling HMRC in recent years. And when would I call them? I cannot sit on hold during working hours.

Ask your new employer whether they have dealt with your P45 from your old job yet. They may have forgotten.