As the online filing deadline of 31 January looms ever larger on the horizon, some taxpayers and their agents who file online are experiencing the traditional January technical hiccup in online services provided by HMRC.
Silicon.com reports that HMRC has received about 300 complaints from people who have been unable to view their tax information after logging into their HMRC account.
They report being unable to view their previous years' self-assessments and tax returns. This means that certain details, required for completion of this year's returns, need to be requested from HMRC in hard copy form.
All very well if the deadline was not quite so close. However, HMRC have stated that there will be delays in sending out hard copies because the tax offices (not unreasonably) are busy at this time of year.
HMRC are quoted:
"If anyone is unable to file on time because HMRC was unable to provide them with the information they need we would consider a claim that they had a reasonable excuse for not filing on time."
HMRC went on to state that it is working with Capgemini (its IT supplier) to fix the problems, which have been going on for a month.
Are there any other ongoing problems with the system? Feel free to share.
Tax does have to be taxing.
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Surely the excuse of being "busy" looses credibility when they have already, and even now continue to, get rid of staff.
ReplyDeleteTrevor Scott
"Surely the excuse of being "busy" looses credibility when they have already, and even now continue to, get rid of staff."
ReplyDeleteNot really. They are getting rid of staff based on arbitrary budget cuts based on figures plucked from the air. What they haven't done is cut staff based on the amount of people needed to do the work or on savings already made through the use of technology. That would involve some time, effort and competent political leadership. So the reality is fewer people + same similar volumes of work = more delays.
As they have had since last April to file, I for one feel no sympathy. And as for the ones who phone up at 11:30;pm on the deadline to claim they have lost their user ID and password, words fail. Problem now in call centres is they are taking so many Tax Credits advisors off the TC lines and training them to deal with SA that all the queues are going up
ReplyDeleteAs above, This could have been filed any time after April 2009. Yet another example of damed if they do, damned if they dont.
ReplyDeleteThe latest computer failure is with the the new system for PAYE. It has invented non-existant employments and issued basic rate codes. It is also re-opening records for employments that finished years ago. The call centres are inundated with confused taxpayers asking about this.
ReplyDeleteMindful of the ambushes of diabolical new PDF-based systems for the CT return and Companies House filing I tackled mine just before Christmas and was pleased to find no nasty surprises.
ReplyDeleteTwo day ago I got a letter reminding me to do my self assessment. Panic! Had it somehow not been received? Phew! The letter was dated 17th December.
"The latest computer failure is with the the new system for PAYE. It has invented non-existant employments and issued basic rate codes. It is also re-opening records for employments that finished years ago. The call centres are inundated with confused taxpayers asking about this."
ReplyDeleteBut I thought this system was working as designed?
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteThe latest computer failure is with the the new system for PAYE. It has invented non-existant employments and issued basic rate codes. It is also re-opening records for employments that finished years ago. The call centres are inundated with confused taxpayers asking about this.
21 January 2010 17:40
Something a couple of us have noticed recently is that the DWP are using our HMRC employer PAYE references for those on job seekers allowance for some reason. With so many employers going out of business we are busy closing down the unwanted PAYE schemes for the employer. All employees showing on the PAYE scheme have to be off the scheme before we can do so, but they keep appearing back and we have to remove them again & again. These records are JSA ones created by DWP and as fast as they are creating them we are removing them. I wonder if that has something to do with some it.
We have it bad, but I feel really sorry for the contact centre staff.
I have used the on-line service for several years & have just completed my data for the last fiscal.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I can not view, save or print this data to check it prior to submission. The Help Desk advises this is "a known problem unlikely to be fixed before April". So do I submit "blind" by end January, or miss the deadline & incur a penalty?
HMRC is not fit for purpose if it cannot provide basic functionality.