As a single parent I kind of rely on tax credits to make ends meet. I've been claiming as a single parent now since my wife left me three and a half years ago.
For whatever reason, I don't know, I got a letter on May 31st from a HMRC third party, Concentrix, stating that they believed my tax credits claim was dodgy and they thought I was living with somebody but still claiming as a single person.
They requested much paperwork in the form of solicitors letters, decree absolute from the divorce, all utility bills for the last 12 months, bank statements for the last tax year and a whole host of other stuff. Because I'm pretty organised I was able to collate the requested paperwork and I popped it in the post the next day by special delivery.
Since then I've heard nothing! So I tried phoning HMRC yesterday evening. The first chap I spoke to could not have displayed any more contempt if he tried and he disconnected the call simply because he misheard my national insurance number and pulled up somebody else records! Total unmentionable!
I phoned back and spoke to another HMRC advisor who told me they had nothing on file back from Concentric and that I'd have to call them the next day.
So this morning I called Concentrix and asked for an update on their investigation. I was told by a polite Irish chap called Michael that they had not received the information requested but that I shouldn't worry because it sometimes takes a few days to be scanned into their system.
I pointed out to Michael that I sent the information on 1st June by Special Delivery and that his explanation was not good enough. Not only are my tax credits going cease on 29th June but many of the documents requested and sent were originals that I need back; if they haven't scanned them in the last 17 days my confidence in waiting another 12 day on the chance they might find all my documentation and process the 'investigation' in time is not great. So I asked to speak to a manager.
Tony was again a nice enough chap but the only thing he could do was add the Special Delivery tracking number to the case file and state that tax credits should not stop since I've provided them with proof that the documentation was sent and delivered.
Now, who would like to wager that I get a letter from HMRC in about two weeks stating that my tax credit payments are about to cease because I haven't submitted the requested paperwork in time?
Watch this space!
There is no 'H' in Aych, you know that don't you? ~ Wife
Turns out there is an H in Haych! ~ Sporky
Bit of trading feedback here.
Comments
They completely pick you at random with zero evidence of what they're claiming against you
HMRC are trying to get the as many people off benefits as they can and have now outsourced all the work to concentrix
This company just picks people at random and makes stupid false allegations against them and even when proved wrong they will still cut the persons tax credits as its all about targets
Single parents are the one go for first always staring they believe that you're living with a partner that you've not declared
After that they go for the self employed
We had the exact same letter a few years ago, turned out that the previous tenant of our flat hadn't updated his address with work and was still paying income tax registered at this address. Of course, that didn't stop HMRC from pausing our payments for 5 months whilst they investigated everything, plus asking us to pay back a £1000 overpayment for the period that he was 'living with us'.
Eventually got it all sorted, bloody nightmare though.t
Rift Amplification
Brackley, Northamptonshire
www.riftamps.co.uk
Brief update:
Concentrix, the waste of space third party hired by HMRC to handle this kind of nonsense, still do not have the documentation I submitted.
They have acknowledged receipt (by proxy of the special delivery tracking reference only) and only now (one day before the deadline) have the initiated an internal search for the documents.
Livid is not the word. Not only have they delayed the whole fiasco but my financial status and history is goodness knows where. There is enough information contained within to steal my life, never mind my identity.
Oh, and the onus is on me to phone back next week to find out if they've managed to find it or not.
Is there any way I can escalate this and at the same time highlight their incompetence?
There is no 'H' in Aych, you know that don't you? ~ Wife
Turns out there is an H in Haych! ~ Sporky
Bit of trading feedback here.
By the way, this was the week before Christmas. Luckily she didn't have a mortgage to pay or a family to support and she had savings to fall back on, otherwise she would have been royally screwed.
They really are bell-ends of the highest order.
There's some ruling that once the tax you owe goes over a certain amount (maybe £2K, but not sure), then they're not allowed to take it back through the PAYE coding system, hence the demands. You can decide to challenge it, or pay it back over 1, 2 or 3 years. I chose to challenge it, but they drive a hard bargain.
Thing is, I have no problem at all in paying tax, I just want them to ensure it's the correct amount, and they're shite at it. The other thing is that pay departments these days just get told what employees tax codes are by e-mail from HMRC, and they can no longer argue the toss like they used to when they thought it might be wrong.
And while I'm on the soapbox, isn't it odd that their mistakes are never in your favour?