It seems that, ironically at the very same time that HMRC are telling people to avoid problems with the post strike and file online, people are experiencing problems with HMRC's online self-assessment system.
The Telegraph reports some people have been met with messages on screen saying that there had been an error, and that it was "unable to verify" that their information had been successfully submitted. The Times letters page also reports problems.
Spiffing!
A spokesman for HMRC is quoted by the paper:
"We are very sorry if anyone has had trouble getting through and we will look into any particular problems but the vast majority of taxpayers are not experiencing any difficulties.
There are still nearly four months left to file on-line but it's best to do so early because the system becomes extremely busy during January."
This implies that the system cannot handle peak load.
Tax does have to be taxing.
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"The system cannot handle peak load... "
ReplyDelete... ho, ho, ho you betcha!
Take it from in insider, we're not even half way there and it's bursting at the farking seams!!!
After last year's online filing fiasco I resolved to file my return early. Being a dimwit I needed help answering the "when did you stop beating your mother?" type questions that you have to fill in. Also, not wishing to enter figures in the wrong boxes, I thought I'd speak to someone at the helpline number on the site. That was two weeks ago. The first try got someone who insisted that I ring a different number. They couldn't help as it was the wrong department but promised to put me through to someone who could. After ten fruitless minutes hanging on, they came back to say that they couldn't get through but would book a specialist who would ring me in the next week. He did, but he was the wrong specialist, didn't have the right training and didn't know anything about the online system.
ReplyDeleteYesterday I had one last try. I rang the helpline, was told it was the wrong number. I rang the other number and eventually spoke to someone. No they couldn't help either. Finally i spoke to a nice Scottish lady who could access my details but not the on-line return. However her experience was enough to help me overcome the dreaded for and after half an hour on the phone, finally and successfully filed my return. I used to be able to pop into my local tax office and an advisor would help me fill in my three line return in about 20 minutes.
Surely that was cheaper than this mess?