As it turns out, I had been issued with the wrong tax code. For a while I had suspected that my take-home pay was too low, but assumed I had made an error when calculating the size of my tax bill and pension contributions. Like thousands of other workers, I assumed that HMRC would have done the calculations correctly — I never imagined that I had been overcharged £177 a month for almost a year.
I lost my house after HMRC sent me a £400,000 tax bill…
I lost my house after HMRC sent me a £400,000 tax bill. After nine nightmare years as a renter, I’m finally back on the property ladder… though my garden is full of gravestones
Are these the laziest WFH staff in Britain…
HMRC civil servants are gardening, taking the dog for a walk and playing video games while ‘at work’, reveals GUY ADAMS. Meanwhile taxpayers face year-long waits… and a £100m office lies half empty
HMRC staff pocket £12million in overpayments after ‘shocking error’ with taxpayer money…
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) staff have pocketed over £12million in overpayments within the past 10 years, new reports show.
Around 250 employees were mistakenly overpaid by more than £1,000 last year alone.
The employees who received these extra payments were those who had left the company but messages did not get through to payroll to halt their salary payments.
The tax officials have admitted to incorrectly paying staff £12.6million over the past decade. Those affected are now having to pay back what they owe.
Staff have already paid back £12.3million, leaving a £300,000 shortfall, figures from The Telegraph have shown.
Last year, HMRC was overpaid to the tune of £1.1million – with employees paying back just £900,000.
Thousands face crippling tax demands from HMRC. Two who tried to take their own lives speak out…
Tens of thousands of people are facing crippling tax demands from HMRC for tax their employers failed to pay. It’s an injustice that has been compared with the Horizon scandal.
At least 23 victims have taken – or attempted to take – their own lives.
For the first time, two of those who tried to end their lives have shared their story with Sky News.
This story contains references to suicide that readers may find distressing.
HMRC Linux version of Basic PAYE Tools Broke
Did you know that His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) offers free Linux tools? Sadly, though, they recently stopped working.
Reg reader Pete Donnell alerted us to the fact that the UK tax authority offers a Linux version of its Basic PAYE Tools, which the download page describes as “free payroll software from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for businesses with fewer than 10 employees.”
Sounds good. We were impressed to see that, alongside its Windows and Linux versions, there’s also a version of the software that supports “Ubuntu Linux version 20.04 LTS and 23.10.” There’s a detailed User Guide too, and more than one service status page, ranging from rather dated to extremely dated.
HMRC accused of ‘airbrushing’ Loan Charge scandal amid calls for inquiry
Campaigners and MPs are calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the Loan Charge scandal – accusing HMRC of “airbrushing” its approach to a harsh tax crackdown linked to several suicides.
The Loan Charge Action Group (LCAG) has hit out at the Treasury Committee after it wrote to the tax office requesting information on its approach to contractor loan schemes.
These were widely – but wrongly – promoted by employers as HMRC compliant in the early 2000s, and tens of thousands of workers who signed up for them are now facing life-ruining bills for tax on their salaries which their employer should have paid.
Campaigners said the Treasury Committee letter was “little more than a tick box exercise triggered by all of the recent coverage of the Loan Charge” and an inquiry which hears from victims and tax experts is needed.
Steve Packham, spokesperson for the LCAG, told Sky News: “It is frustrating that instead of holding a full select committee inquiry to hear evidence from those facing the Loan Charge and tax sector professionals, the Treasury select committee has merely written to HMRC.”
Jeremy Hunt Overrides HMRC Closure
Jeremy Hunt has ordered HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to scrap plans to close its phone lines over the summer…
HMRC Closing Tax Helpline For 6 Months
HMRC will close its self-assessment helpline line for almost six months every year, forcing customers to use its online services instead.
Taxpayers will be unable to call the tax office from 8 April to 30 September, HMRC has confirmed, meaning people who would previously have spoken to an adviser about their enquiries will now have to self-serve online.
The phoneline will close during the same period every year, it added.
HMRC said it was taking the step because “around two-thirds of calls” to its helpline were “routine or simple enquiries, which can be resolved online using our digital services, tools and guidance”.
It said previous trials where it closed the self-assessment line enabled it to help more customers and did not impact on taxpayers’ ability to file or pay on time.
The announcement comes weeks after Parliament’s cross-party spending watchdog said HMRC’s customer services had hit an “all-time low”.
Incompetent…
Incompetent. Automated bot kicks you from the phone line with any excuse. Even recommends you use YOUTUBE to look up your tax advice. All I want is my UTR number and after applying online, emailing and attempting to call them I got a total of sod all in 2 months. Its like they don’t want you to make money or know the rules for some reason. Website is confusing and generally sucks dick, sending you round in endless circles. For those who want to start companies be warned, HMRC will be the guaranteed biggest roadblock to your business running smoothly.