Monday 6 August 2012

HMRC's £16M Snafu



To gently ease everyone into another week, here is a gemusing tale of what happens when a date is entered on the wrong part of a letter.

Step forward HMRC which, owing to a "snafu" confusing a date with a sum of money, sent Enid Fisher (a semi retired pensioner of 73) a tax bill for £16,022,012. Aside from the sum being a "tad" OTT, the error is even more ironic given that Mrs Fisher was in dispute with HMRC over an HMRC error that gave rise to them issuing her a rebate.

Anyhoo, all's well that ends well; Mrs Fisher has now received £200 compensation for the distress caused etc.

HMRC are quoited by the Mail:
"We are unable to discuss the details of individual taxpayers due to restrictions on confidentiality, however we have apologised to Ms Fisher for any distress caused and understand the matter has been now resolved."
Tax does have to be taxing.



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2 comments:

  1. What do you suppose would have happened if this had been a repayment error? For that amount most people would take the money and flee the country for good, and who would blame them?

    What is not unbelievable in this day and age is that HMRC systems did not automatically ring alarm bells i.e. semi-retired female pensioner of 73 owing over £16m tax, where was her income coming from to owe this much FFS, Brinks Mat, RBS, Barclays or some such like.

    2012 and this "slips" through the system, no wonder the criminals see HMRC as a soft touch.

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  2. what really upsets me in today's world, including that of HMRC, those few little words "we have apologised" seem to make everything all right. WELL IT FCKIN ISNT, you numpties. Apologising and paying £200 is not enought to compensate for the distress HMRC creates and causes. THey need to be on this side of the fence. Bastards (HMRC) paid me £50 after putting me in hospital. I feel another claim coming on...

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