The inane stupidity of the Inland Revenue

[TheOstrich]

This morning, out of the blue, I received a "2013/14 tax calculation" from them. So I thought I'd better sit down and check it.

Four hours later, (mainly spent collating all the paperwork from the four corners of the Universe) I complete my calculations. Bottom line - I owe them 42p. Which is what I expected to find , as I tend to sort out any problems I can see arising with my tax affairs as I along. For that reason, I shouldn't really be any trouble to them.

But what does the HMR&C calculation say? They're going to repay me £195.70 !! Why? because they've taken it into their heads to estimate a couple of figures based on 2009/10 (!) for some reason, and a strange quirk called the Starting Rate for Savers comes into play in their calculations, and so they come up with the £195.70 refund. Basically, it shouldn't apply to me at all.

So now I've got to (a) wait for their cheque which is "in the post" (b) bank it (c) wait for it to clear (d) write to them (I ain't phoning them at their rates) (e) wait three months (f) send them a reminder (g) wait another 3 months (h) get a fresh calculation from them and (i) repay them the money they shouldn't have given me in the first place.

I didn't ask for this. Why couldn't they just leave things alone? Ruddy barstewards!

(Yes I am going to bank the cheque. If I don't, they'll just get even more confused.)

[Kaz]

I have to submit self-assessment for 2012/13. I earned the princely sum of around £150, and therefore owe nothing, but they are insisting I still do it, and it must be costing them money in admin surely

[Workingman]

The other year they sent me a check for nealy £800 as a rebate, but no real information as to what the rebate was. At the time I was on benefits following my heart attack and had been for over a year.

I stuck it in a savings account, just in case, and never challenged it or said anything to them. It's still there gathering interest.

[Diflower]

For that amount Ossie I'd just bank it and let them worry about adjusting - if they ever do, they'd presumably change your tax code.
WM it would probably have related to your earnings the previous year to that; if you went onto benefits mid-tax year you'd definitely have been entitled to a refund.

[Aggers]

Mrs A has to phone them up every year because they always get it wrong.

They are useless.

[TheOstrich]

Just to add a little postscript to this thread ...

Today, out of the blue, the Managing Director, (as we call Master O), received a tax refund for 2014/15 of over £300. I banked the cheque this afternoon.

Now I've had an opportunity to check his tax position for last year against the Inland Revenue's calculations ... he isn't entitled to it! I know why, and it's basically a mistake by either his previous employers or the HMC&E, (I can't tell which), that has caused the omission of some income, and in consequence a false repayment based on purported unused personal allowances.

So that's around £500 paid to this household by the Government in the last fortnight - totally incorrectly.

Couldn't have done better if we'd been illegal immigrant benefit tourists, could we?

[Kaz]

Nice one Ossie, rather you than them