Thursday 19 February 2015

A Loyal Reader Asks


A loyal reader has asked me to post the following open question about HMRC's helpfulness:
"Can you ask the open question as to why HMRC -even their agent helpline - are so unhelpful.

We ring them for information because we have not been able to get it from the client, but their attitude is that you have to know the answer before they will send anything out to you.

I wanted my client's PAYE earnings for 2013-2014 sent to me - their accountant authorised with a 64-8 and cleared through security - and because I did not know the employer names and references they refused to send it.

As my client has been mentally fragile and has lost the P60's this was somewhat difficult.

I take it the working together initiative is dead and buried. I never saw much evidence of it from HMRC anyway.
Feel free to comment.

Tax does have to be taxing.

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20 comments:

  1. When a department such as HMRC is run by corrupt sociopathic or even psychopathic persons who do nothing constructive to improve the existence of their face place workers. When those workers have continually suffered from bullying and health damaging criminal actions for so long combined with the ever present threat of job loss and effective repetitive pay cuts then I am afraid what you see is what you get.

    Add to this the evangelical zeal with which pacesetter is crushed upon the staff and a ruling elite, the politicos, who have a vested interest in the shite that is actually HMRC, well, at least there is consistency across the piste.

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  2. I have full sympathy for you, I'm a member of the tax paying public otherwise known as 'the customer' HMRC is a facking disgrace through their actions / inaction they are about to get a very expensive lesson (unfortunately funded by the tax payer) as to what it costs when you fuck the wrong people about.
    £80,000.00 costs and being added to Daily and an estimated £45,000.00 Legal fees. I will keep you informed, because you are footing the bill for this crass incompetence.

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  3. HMRC was set up as a money grabbing department, they'll be ultra efficient at applying fines and penalties or cocking up your tax code to their advantage. But you try to get assistance to get it right, I'm afraid there's no incentive for HMRC to assist you in doing that.
    Sad fact is that you are expecting HMRC to do what they are supposed to be doing, instead of what they feel like doing. There is, and will never be true 'customer' service at HMRC, because you're not 'customers' you are only a method of getting funds

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  4. So, it has taken some good media reporting and a 38 degrees petition to finally illustrate how bad HMRC have become see:-

    https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/closing-the-mayfair-loophole-report

    'Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander has called this situation “utterly
    disgraceful”, yet his government has done nothing to change it. In fact, this tax
    outcome is deliberately and explicitly protected by two special tax deals made by
    HMRC - under both Conservative and Labour governments - with the private equity
    industry’s lobby organisation, the British Venture Capital Association (BVCA), and
    without the approval of Parliament'

    More 'special tax deals'? Or has someone else been quaffing from the claret jug or @just watching the wall...whilst the gentlemen slither by'?!

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  5. I think we need a well worded E petition demanding action, but then our jolly old government insist on 100,000 signatures before they'll even look at it !
    I wonder if we've got enough disgruntled 'customers' of our dear, and I mean very dear HMRC to get this issue aired in parliament?
    People power could make this happen, I wonder if it will.

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  6. There's got to be an efficient and guaranteed way of people power demanding an independent investigation of the HMRC and getting the powers that be to take decisive action in all areas of HMRC that are currently failing abysmally

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  7. Get some journos in to sit with the poor call centre employees who get these calls and see how impossible it is for them to get the information they need to help the customers they want to help and to see how the managers treat them when they dare even to try to do this. Go on - get the journos in and shed some light on this madness.



    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I challenge Panorama, Watch dog, Rouge traders, Jeremy Vine, etc to get involved.........No wait a minute we've already got the investigators we pay dearly to do this..... its the Police, the NCA, the PSC, the top management at HMRC, Why are they not doing anything? Hmm I wonder, is it gross negligence and dereliction of duty, or total incompetence and lack of will, or maybe there's just nothing to be found! it's all rumour, hearsay, and speculation! Yeah right, that's about as believable as Ed Balls getting receipts for bush trimming!

      Delete
    2. I agree with 21:22. Staff are timed and bullied if they visit the loo. Systems are crashing on a daily basis. Any innovative ideas are crushed and threatened as negative behaviours. Oh and spend the time needed on the phone to help at your peril. That's being insolent and management action will be taken.

      Delete
  8. Come on now, let's have some realism. Are all agents perfect? From experience, I know they are not. A lot of them are total liars as a multitude of S9a enquiries show. Alright, blame the client. The vast majority of HMRC staff will go out of their way to help. The abuse they take from taxpayers and agents is unforgivable. There is a high staff turnover in the call centres as a result. High quality service is hard to achieve in these circumstances. The senior management could not give two hoots. You will obtain a better service just by being polite and having a little patience. All the lower level staff want to do is a good job. The senior staff just want their ill deserved bonus.

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    Replies
    1. I totally agree with you, the Grunts are great but they're led by fucking idiots. the grunts have the power to change the shit hole they work in, they just don't realise it!

      Delete
    2. Where are your unions while their membership is being abused in this way, or have they been bought off with promotions and favouritism
      Go to your union rep and demand action, do it en mass and get them earning their title not hiding behind it

      Delete
  9. If an agent or a taxpayer phones, P60 pay & tax can be given over the phone provided the employer or pension companys names or PAYE ref can be given. If they cant be given the details will still be sent by post. Poor Agents not getting the info? I say they are a bunch of cowboys & those on the inside know exactly what goes on with them

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  10. Reading the article I’m confused, did you request the information over the phone or request it be sent to you by post?. If you have an active 64-8 then no problem advising in letter form however if you wanted the info over the phone well can’t be done.
    We have security parameters here, employer names and reference numbers cannot be given out over the phone as well you probably know. It makes me laugh when HMRC have a security cock up the posters on this site scream from the rafters heads must roll, but when we operate security and it’s not convenient when you want to circumvent the system it’s heads must roll. Make your Farking mind up as to what you want.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The agent is implying they did not get it sent to them as they didnt know the names of the employers which is a load of shite, it just cant be provided over the fone in that case. It can still be sent by post even if they did not know the employers names

      Delete
    2. Also if the agent could give the names of the employers or pension providers the P60 details can be given over the phone. Its only when u cant quote them u dont get it verbally there & then. The agent would have been struggling to get the return filed on time & because the adviser went by the rules & refused to disclose verbally this post has appeared. Its pathetic

      Delete
  11. Whichever way you look at it, the situation within the Muppet Show is a total clusterfuck, no matter how you attempt to tart it up and no matter who you hold to blame, it's SNAFU in there and has been for years.

    If Milliband and Balls get their proposed root and branch review into the culture within HMRC and can be persuaded to expand it to incorporate employment practices things may yet change.

    ReplyDelete
  12. How about this comment, agents are WANKERS. They tell their "clients" to have their job expenses removed from their tax code so they get a refund via their SA return. What their "client" doesnt know, is that by doing this the agent takes a cut of their refund, maybe 20-30% whatever. The "client" is better off having the expenses coded as they will get the total tax relief they are due & not lose 20-30% (probably more) taken from them. Yes agents are slimey bastards. Do you think they represent people out of goodwill? Its the biggest con out there. Become an agent. Anyone recgonise the name "christopher lunn" PRICK

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Excellent comment. That particular 'scam' has been going on for decades. Lazy cheating agents, blaming decent overworked staff.

      Delete
  13. How long has the HMRC been going? How many Billions has it cost? How many Billions does it waste each year? How many 100s of Millions does it fail to collect? How many Billions does it turn a blind eye to? How many Millions spent on failed IT projects? How much more are we going to endure before we insist on an independent investigation into the mighty HMRC.

    ReplyDelete