I am advised by a tax professional that "due to system problems", attempts to reduce the payments on account of his clients using HMRC's online system (which is used to replace the need to complete a SA303 - Claim to reduce payments on account), have not worked.
The result being that some of his clients have received Self Assessment: Final Demands, and apparently they may receive surcharge notices as well.
To insult to injury, when he phoned his local HMRC office to ask for help they advised him that they couldn't because their internal system had gone down.
The added irony of this story is that it took his clients to advise him of the problem, instead of HMRC.
Tax does have to be taxing.
HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
No kidding?
ReplyDeleteI filled in my tax return online in November and took a printout to prove it. I got a letter last week saying I'd missed the deadline. I now have to write to explain that their system is at fault not me. Mind you, it may take until next year for them to get to open my letter.
Even worse, my son had a tax bill he couldn't pay in time. He phoned a couple of weeks before the deadline and agreed a repayment plan that takes into account the tax due now plus his next bill. He agreed to pay it at the rate of about £600 a month for the next 16 months. He asked for the agreement to be sent in writing. They took the first payment and last week sent a final demand for the outstanding balance!
How incompetent is that?
You're right HMRC is shite!