Saturday 4 November 2023

Do HMRC want this money or not?

I mentioned last week that HMRC have announced that they want nearly 200 quid off me, while they are still actively paying me in-work benefits. This makes no sense. 

Well, I spent a morning trying to get through to them to find out what this is about. On Wednesday morning I called up. The automated message said there was a predicted 6 minute wait time. Ended up being 15. The operator I spoke to had no information about the 3 figure sum I apparently owe, until he did a bit of digging. The ‘end date’ of the overpayment is 1/8/23. What does this mean exactly? The last WTC payment they gave me? This wasn’t explained, nor was the reason for the overpayment, which hadn’t been passed over to his department. 

He gave me another number for HMRC (whom I had assumed I’d been speaking to) and was told to say I’ve spoken to Debt Management. 

So, it took 25 minutes to find out I’d called the wrong number. 

I waited until after lunch before trying the new number. This time I was predicted a 40 minute wait. I finished reading my book while I waited for an operator to pick up. 

The automated waiting message advised me to download the HMRC app. I tried this, but the exact same password that I used for the website doesn’t work on the app. Insane. 

After 1hr 14 min wait to this number, the voice message changed to ‘we are very busy right now, goodbye,’ or words to that effect, then the line was cut off. 

Fucking useless. You would think they’d be onto me about this – they’re claiming I owe THEM money. But we all know that the reality is that HMRC, like my own employer, also part of the government, is underfunded and understaffed. The Tories have done this so you can’t get through to these people, so that you CAN’T claim what you are eligible for. It’s engineered. So, the next time you actually need the government to help you with something that you’re legally entitled to, and you don’t seem able to get it, look around you. Which of your friends are voting for this? And why are you still friends with them?

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