Thuggish Bailiffs III - HMRC Flouts Agreements

It seems that "time to pay" agreements made by taxpayers with HMRC regarding tax debts are not always honoured by HMRC.

The FT reports that business owners who have thought that they have made a "time to pay" agreement with HMRC, have been less than pleased to receive letters from third party debt collection agencies threatening them with confiscation of their assets.

These letters are being sent to businesses who have not breached the repayment terms agreed with HMRC.

The letters often include phrases such as "our records suggest that you have ignored our previous requests" and "if you do not comply with our request we have to assume you are unwilling to pay and will take distraint action which may involve taking your assets".

However, HMRC are of the view that there is no problem. They are quoted by the FT:

"Each time-to-pay arrangement exists for a specific debt or debts, so debts not covered by the arrangement may be sent to a debt collection agency (DCA).

If, exceptionally, a customer believes that a debt included in an arrangement has been referred to a DCA, it should contact us immediately."

So that's alright then, simply contact HMRC immediately and the problem will be resolved!

Tax does have to be taxing.

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Click the link to read about: Tax Investigation for Dummies

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Thuggish Bailiffs II

Last week I wrote about HMRC's debt chasing letters, sent to people who are overdue with their tax bill.

George Mudie, deputy chairman of the Commons Treasury committee, described HMRC's tactics as akin to "thuggish bailiffs".

Sadly it seems (according to the Mail) that these letters are not just sent to people who are late in paying their tax, but also to those who have spoken to HMRC and have agreed a debt repayment plan with HMRC.

Tax does have to be taxing.

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HMRC QROPS provider. Unlock your UK pension and access a 25% lump sum today.

Quote ID code "ABC" when contacting a QROPS specialist.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

What is TAXWISE?

TAXWISE is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Taxwise

Tax Investigation for Dummies, by Nick Morgan, provides a good and easy to read guide for anyone caught up in an HMRC tax investigation. A must read for any Self Assessment taxpayer.

Click the link to read about: Tax Investigation for Dummies

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"

Hotseat IV - Dame Lesley Speaks

It seems that the furore over HMRC's recent Hotseat "Question 23", re offices with poor staff survey scores being closed, shows no signs of abating.

My thanks to a loyal reader who has sent me a typed copy of Dame Lesley Strathie's intranet musings on the issue. I am advised that this is typed exactly as it appears on the HMRC intranet:

"Message from Lesley Strathie: the People Survey and the information you will give us

You may have heard speculation about the role the People Survey plays here in HMRC.

The first thing to stress is that the People Survey is your chance to share your views about life and work her in the department, It's an opportunity to make your voice heard and for us to listen to what you tell us.

We're under no illusion about the scale of the challenge - especially given the results of the most recent surveys. That's why it's so important that you take part.

An engaged workforce is a more productive workforce and the very best performers, whether it's the London Ambulance Service, John Lewis Partnership or Tesco, recognise this.

In all of these organisations, leaders and managers know that positively encouraging people to perform at their best is the most important thing that they do.

David MacLeod calls this a "blindingly obvious but nevertheless often-overlooked truth" in his report into employee engagement (pdf), published by the department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

This is the approach we are adopting here in HMRC. It's not unique to us but it's a tried and tested route to success. While it is clear we have some considerable way to go, we have already seen some improvements in parts of HMRC.

For the Department's leadership, it is about learning from these successes- finding out why so me teams are so much more engaged in the Department's goals and motivated to deliver their part in our success than many others.

We need to ensure we create a similar environment across the Department, so everyone feels as motivated and engaged.

I feel I should stress that when we talk about engagement here in HMRC, we aren't talking simply about the results of the People Survey. Neither are we talking about happiness.

We're talking about our ability to be more productive and all that means in terms of servicing our customers and reducing the tax gap.

I know from your Hotseat questions and forum discussions many of you have been asking about office closures, how we make our decisions and whether the People Survey has a bearing. I have also seen one reply that suggested engagement scores may be a deciding factor. So I want to make our position clear on the office closures.

When it comes to making these difficult decisions, we look at a number of factors, which are fully discussed with our trade unions.

They mainly involve whether leases breaks are available (in line with government guidelines) and whether reduced numbers of people mean we need fewer offices in a location. If all things are equal and decisions have to made between locations productivity will, of course, come into it. It's far more likely that offices with low engagement will be less productive - that's the only link that we would make. Our consideration will include how to retain our most knowledgeable, skilled and motivated staff and managers because that is what we know we need in HMRC.

The people survey is your chance to share your views about life and work here in the Department. It's an opportunity to make your voice heard and for us to act on what you tell us about - from the resilience of some of our IT to the quality of your desk top PCs and in our approach to vacancy filling across all business areas.

The Change Programme and this year's Business Plan demonstrates the extent of our work to remove many of the causes of the frustration. Your input has helped us prioritise.

You'll see more about the actions we're taking in response to the People Survey on the intranet and in Pulse from early next month.

I wish you all a happy Easter and, on behalf of the Executive Committee our thanks for your dedication and hard work over the last tax year

Lesley Strathie

Chief Executive"

Tax does have to be taxing.

UK EXPATS: Reduce tax on UK Pensions
HMRC QROPS provider. Unlock your UK pension and access a 25% lump sum today.

Quote ID code "ABC" when contacting a QROPS specialist.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

What is TAXWISE?

TAXWISE is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Taxwise

Tax Investigation for Dummies, by Nick Morgan, provides a good and easy to read guide for anyone caught up in an HMRC tax investigation. A must read for any Self Assessment taxpayer.

Click the link to read about: Tax Investigation for Dummies

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"

Hotseat III - HMRC Backpedals

I am advised by a loyal reader that HMRC's Hotseat Question 23 briefly disappeared from the HMRC intranet, only to reappear with this addendum.

Could that sound we hear be the sound of furious backpedalling from HMRC "management"?

Tax does have to be taxing.

UK EXPATS: Reduce tax on UK Pensions
HMRC QROPS provider. Unlock your UK pension and access a 25% lump sum today.

Quote ID code "ABC" when contacting a QROPS specialist.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

What is TAXWISE?

TAXWISE is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Taxwise

Tax Investigation for Dummies, by Nick Morgan, provides a good and easy to read guide for anyone caught up in an HMRC tax investigation. A must read for any Self Assessment taxpayer.

Click the link to read about: Tax Investigation for Dummies

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"

Thuggish Bailiffs

Here is an extract of a letter sent out by HMRC, chasing up overdue tax, as published in the Mail:

"Since I last wrote to you, most of those still owing tax have paid, making their contribution to the vital services we all depend on.

We still haven't received your tax payment, and my team are now focusing attention on the rapidly reducing number of people like you who have yet to pay. Not paying your tax on time has serious consequences. We must collect this tax from you to pay for the hospitals and schools we all rely on.

We will do that by taking your possessions and auctioning them publicly. We don't like doing this because people have told us it is embarrassing for them and it will cost you so much more to pay this way.

For instance, if your car is worth several thousand pounds, it might sell for only a few hundred pounds at auction, a flat-screen TV costing £2,000 would typically sell for about £200-£300, and an £800 laptop would sell for about £100.

To avoid this, please call one of my team on the number at the top of this letter to pay by debit or credit card. Some people who have a problem paying their tax bury their head in the sand. In fact, many people find that speaking to us helps."

George Mudie, deputy chairman of the Commons Treasury committee, is unimpressed with this and intends to raise the issue with George Osborne.

Quote:

"It is not for the Revenue to behave like thuggish bailiffs threatening to seize people's property. It is inappropriate and immoral to use such threatening, harassing language."

Tax does have to be taxing.

UK EXPATS: Reduce tax on UK Pensions
HMRC QROPS provider. Unlock your UK pension and access a 25% lump sum today.

Quote ID code "ABC" when contacting a QROPS specialist.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

What is TAXWISE?

TAXWISE is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Taxwise

Tax Investigation for Dummies, by Nick Morgan, provides a good and easy to read guide for anyone caught up in an HMRC tax investigation. A must read for any Self Assessment taxpayer.

Click the link to read about: Tax Investigation for Dummies

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"

Hotseat II

Folks, re yesterday's article, I had a few technical problems at this end. They have now been resolved and I have now uploaded the "hotseat" Q&A re staff survey results and office closures.

Tax does have to be taxing.

UK EXPATS: Reduce tax on UK Pensions
HMRC QROPS provider. Unlock your UK pension and access a 25% lump sum today.

Quote ID code "ABC" when contacting a QROPS specialist.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

What is TAXWISE?

TAXWISE is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Taxwise

Tax Investigation for Dummies, by Nick Morgan, provides a good and easy to read guide for anyone caught up in an HMRC tax investigation. A must read for any Self Assessment taxpayer.

Click the link to read about: Tax Investigation for Dummies

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"