Hi there, I am self employed and have worked successfully with TaxAid to get rid of any fines, so I know exactly what I need to pay. The debt is about £9,000. How can I best negotiate with the HMRC Taskforce without taking the bankruptcy route? I have heard of asking for the debt to go into remission, which basically pauses it for a length of time. I can afford to pay about half of the £9k up front. But I don't receive a monthly wage, it comes in unpredictable chunks throughout the year. Does anyone have any advice about how I can propose a repayment schedule? (I will also try to get advice from Business Debtline. I do have other debt that I am paying £1.25 per month for but I am looking to write CCA letters to those debt collection agencies.) Many thanks for reading

Hi, I am disabled and my wife is my full time carer.l receive ESA and my wife receives carers allowance.We have been trying to understand the figures HMRC have sent us regarding our tax credits. My ESA is income and contribution based (l rang ESA and asked how much is income based and how much is contribution based but l was told they couldn't give me those figures). I have my P60 which says my ESA benefit for the year was £7,783.68 and the taxable amount was £5,842.61 The letter from HMRC regarding our tax credits says my ESA taxable benefit is £7774.50 I was told that HMRC only take into account a certain amount from my ESA as it is income and contribution based.l just wanted to know if something isn't right with these figures.Should the taxable amount on the P60 match the taxable amount on the HMRC letter. Thank you

Hi apologies if this is posted in the wrong place. After spending all night reading posts about overpayments I wondered if anyone had advice. I received a letter last week asking for information as my daughters dad is linked to my address. I knew this as his mail has been coming here for years after we split and we entered into a mortgage agreement in 2016. The mortgage is complicated, my daughter is disabled and was granted an adaption for the house. There were quite large costs to meet and I needed to raise funds for the overspend. Her dad agreed to help and we set up the mortgage as friends. He wanted to provide security for his daughter. We have remained friends and he regularly visits, however....he’s got no other links to an address as he’s been lodging with mates or sleeping at work. In January thus year he came to stay occasionally as I was struggling to meet my daughters medical needs due to a car accident in 2017. I have a son with ADHD and he was also going through a rough time at secondary resulting in violent behaviour at home. During 2017 I was also diagnosed as having autoimmune disease due to living under highly stressful conditions. I was depressed with chronic pain and not coping. By March he moved in as my condition with my shoulder meant I struggled with most tasks. Torn supraspinus tendon... By July we felt we were a couple and in August I had surgery with a long recovery requiring full care. I’ve disclosed everything they have asked for but anxious they will go back further Yesterday I sent in all documents required, everything has been paid by me up to now with his maintenance showing in bank statements. He agreed to pay half mortgage in July so that’s when I’ve said a relationship began despite me needing care to live at this time. Should I go to cab?

Hello, Old user, new issue : Where do i post HMRC issues please? Its regrading old tax penalties from 200-2002 reclaimed against last 2 years accounts as a self employed person resulting in loss of approx 5k

In 2014 I was re-assessed for my tax for years ending 2010 and 2011 this resulting in me having to pay HMRC extra tax quite a bit of money so paid via a payment plan, as a result I was charged interest. This was all settled within the payment plan. I got rid of the papers because that was the end of it. In my 2018 tax return I was due a refund HMRC have deducted the interest for year ending 2010 even though i have already paid it. I cant seem to get HMRC to understand what they have done is there any way to SAR HMRC to get this information from them, any help really appreciated.

Hello Back in June 2017 we had a letter stating due to income (loads of overtime) we had been overpaid tax credits and payments would stop. In August another letter stating that overpayments of £2800 had been received but a final decision would be made. Final decision made and we are now facing a demand for this amount. I have checked through our finances and this seems correct, they want all of 2016 -17 back and the few months of this years. I have read through many of the threads about this and the advice is generally not to phone them, in this case I guess it's ok just to set up a repayment plan? Can they force the amount or will they have to settle for what we can just about afford? say £50-60 a month. Just want to be forearmed before I make the call. many thanks in advance. mutts

Hi please please can someone help. I am at the moment feeling like I’m having a heart attack with actual panick attacks. I am in the wrong from what I can tell and I have read. Let me point out that 25 years ago I pleaded guilty to false representation for income support when I opened a business and didn’t go down the employments support start up route (dont know the correct name) but two dates and I pleaded guilty. Since then I have always stuck to the rules!! I claimed previously with my useless ex husband and then removed him when we separated. I then had my business and claimed single everything was fine! I took in a lodger he claimed housing benefits that was above board then he moved in above my business again above board. We did see each other on and off! I had to go bankrupt In 201 1due to ex and could not get bank account so the lodger/tenant got me a business account (registered at my address) as my business and he opened a savings account for me to use as I wasn’t allowed one my TC and CTC went into it. Then we started seeing each other and opened a joint account in 2014 (he was still in my flat) but account registered at my home address. Mainly as he had lodged there and had not changed post and also as I was using it. We split up again in 2015 and he was still at my flat till June (have bills and council tax letters confirming he was there till then) when I got rid of the flat and business. He then moved into my caravan and I used the rent to help me through university to change my life. In 2016 we started a proper go at things and I changed my name by deed poll to his before qualifying from my degree as didn’t want it in ex name. In jan 17 I declared in writing to TC that he had moved in provided his last 3 months wage slips and his NI and dob and he signed as well. I didn’t think anything more of it as money went down the same as it went down when I notified them of my first full time employment after uni. It further went down when I changed jobs again everytime I wrote to them. I wrote to them 31 May 18’and told them son had left full time education expecting it to stop. Last week I got a compliance letter asking if I knew my partner which of course I do. I then started to panic. I am terrible with the renewal notices I just don’t bother opening them (stupid I know) I just check what’s gone into my account to see if changes have been made. They have asked for information for 3 months 6/4/17 to 6/7/17 which I have and shows him with me as you would expect. I then rang them as I noticed money for ct was still being paid. I mentioned the letter they said they had not received it yet had seen the online notification (child benefit) I did on the day I got the compliance letter from them. Even so not actioned that either as I had been paid. I asked about all the other letters I sent and she said hadn’t received any!!! Now I know what it sounds like but I sent them! I don’t know what to do. I am scared they will accuse me of fraud when that has never been my intentions. I don’t know what to do. Do I send them the copy letter which I have about jan 17 - we finally decided to move in properly as I had my first full time job after uni and had completed my 3 months probation period. I am frightened they will send me to prison. I am happy to pay any backdated money. I haven’t signed this years declaration as when I finally opened it I saw they did have my income correct which again I had notified them of but they didn’t have partner listed. What do I do. I want to be honest but frightened if I send the copy letter they will go back further and not believe the complicated on off relationship and friendship we have had. Will they only look at the 3 months they have asked for. If I am prosecuted I will lose my job and will never be able to work in the field. I can’t talk to my boss or my family. it’s taken me years to turn my life around. Sorry for long post but I’m at the end of my tether. Please help I’m in such a bad way

Hi all, I need some advise on how to deal with HRMC and stop them from coming to my house, applying crazy charges, taking my goods and making me bankrupt (which will cause me to lose my new job) all down to a problem with self assessment tax , charges and interest from claiming child benefit. Really don't know what to do but I know that they can reclaim tax by adjusting the tax code which I assumed had already happened as my online tax code seemed to change ever few months . A collection office turned up at my door last week, demanded £75 for his visit and insisted that I somehow sort out £11000 dept.** I offered to make a token payment of £500 and asked to have the payments taken via my tax code.* He didnt agree to this but said that I needed to speak to the dept management team which I did.* they advised me that I needed to complete my self assessment by registering, then waiting for an activation code and finally completing the submissions before we could do anything. My worry is that I will not be able to do all this within the 14 day time limited the HMRC collections persons placed on me I understand they have unique powers meaning they can enforce bailiffs without needing to go to court. What can I do ? I was about to sent a letter asking for the payment to be taken from my tax code and pleading my case (almost begging etc) but wanted to ask for some advise first. Anyone offer any help on what I should do.? Thanks Scott

HMRC calls on online marketplaces to sign agreement tackling VAT fraud READ MORE HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hmrc-calls-on-online-marketplaces-to-sign-agreement-tackling-vat-fraud

Hello I hope some one can help. My husband today got letter from the HMRC stating that since he earns over 50k per year we have to pay back all the child benefit payments we have received since 2014. He received form SA252 on 17 August 2013 (following incorrect 2012/2013 Self-Assessment – where didn’t tick the Child Benefit box!) whether receiving Child Benefit – clearly missed this. Since that time there has been no communication and no letters etc have been sent to me his wife either, even though I get the payment. The HMRC states that they sent letters on 15/9/17 and 23/10/17, which we did not receive, they now sent a letter stating they are going to charge us £1500 in penalties as we never replied to the letters we did not receive. Apparently we need to pay back (on top of penalty of £1,517.82 by 6 December); 2014: £2351 2015: £2475 2016: £2549 Any ideas of what to do? Spent an hour on the phone to the HMRC, once they decide you are in the wrong you are in the wrong. Help!

Hello Thank you in advance for any advice on my situation. Between 2009 and 2013 I was registered as self employed, in the earlier couple of years i was going through a stressful personal break up was having problems with work because of depression, also spending my money to go to court of access to my daughter. At the time I was couch surfing and frankly forgot all about tax returns. The HMRC fined me in total £4,524 over this period which I can't afford to pay. I find these charges extortionate, is this even legal for a start? All i did was not send in a piece of paper and now i am in this huge amount of debt? The last thing on my mind at that time of my life was filing a tax return especially when i had literally done no work or earned anything at the time - I certainly couldnt afford an accountant. Since then i started a limited company in 2012 which is still operating now and all tax returns are up to date for myself and my company, done via an accountant. All the old self employment returns have also been done and the self employment terminated as i am employed on PAYE by my own company. The HMRC have passed the debt to CCS collect. I wrote to the HMRC to try and appeal these extortionate charges based on what I have said above, but rather than responding to my appeal they just ignored it and wrote back to me with the figure I requested in the same letter. CCS already seem unreasonable in their initial letters, stating they want an "acceptable payment offer" - in my opinion acceptable is what I can afford, if this is £1 every week then that's what they should get. Am i correct in thinking that I should respond to CCS in writing rather than on the phone so i have written records of everything? And is it also right that they have to accept what I offer them on a monthly basis? I am thinking of £50 per month, which having a family of five to support is more than reasonable. I am writing back to HMRC today to request they actually respond to my letter properly rather than being totally ignorant. Finally, how on earth can a company, the HMRC, just make up these charges? They are just a company after all aren't they, and it's a ridiculous amount just because they didn't receive a piece of paper! Thanks

I have a long running dispute with HMRC about alleged overpayment of WTC which they have failed to answer. Today received letters from LCS Leeds making growling noises. I presume that I should tell them to F.O and that I will only communicate with HMRC and they have nom authority to be involved? Thank you

Hi My husband has an old tax bill, he has paid around £1000 back but still owes £1500 I have been acting on his behalf and have had payment plans in place however a few have failed and now they will not accept a payment plan. They said a letter is in the post, i think enforcement was mentioned. We have no money in the bank , no savings, live in a small rented bungalow and our biggest asset is a van my husband owes money to my mum or, he uses it for his business. We are both self employed i have made a loss this month he is averaging only around £500/month at the moment. We have a 1 year old baby. Please, anyone been in the same position, what will they do next?

When my ex husband died a few years ago I inherited our small home (flat). I was living in rented accommodation and did not want to live in the flat so in the 2013/14 tax year I rented it out and it has been occupied since. Recently, a former colleague and friend who was doing my Self-Assessment tax returns has had a complete breakdown and will not be fit and well for the long term. I since discovered that no Self Assessment tax returns were submitted, the whereabouts of my paperwork is unknown and I'm not registered for Self-Assessment. I accept that this is partly my own fault; when I was told I did not need to submit a tax return as there was no tax to pay, I should have questioned it. The amount of tax owed is very small (around £700) I decided to make a voluntary disclosure to HMRC under a campaign for landlords called the Let Property Campaign. I worked out what I owed, completed an online disclosure (including selecting my own penalty) and paid HMRC. I am just awaiting their confirmation that this has been accepted but verbally they have indicated all is OK. In the meantime, sick of paying rent myself, and discovering my landlord is selling the property that I live in the for the second time in two years, I am buying a small house. I have found a house, have a decision in principle for a mortgage and now the house buying process is moving forward. This is a life saver for me in some respects, living in rented accommodation is very depressing and being unable to have children, I need something to live and work for so having my own home will change my world in many ways. As I am older, single, only have 15 years working life left and have a below average credit score, I am using a mortgage broker as these circumstances narrow my options somewhat. The problem is that the mortgage company I have a Decision in Principle from (as do most mortgage companies) require official documentation that my tax affairs are all up to date; this would be in the form of a SA302 and/or Tax Year Overview. Had I had the confidence to do my own tax returns, I would have been able to get these documents from my Self Assessment records. But because I have paid my tax via the disclosure route, all I will get is an acceptance letter from HMRC saying "yes, we accept your disclosure and confirm that you have paid £700 tax due for the last three tax years”. Now it seems that this may not sufficient for the mortgage company. I have tried a few times to speak to someone at HMRC but it is a frustrating process and I am getting nowhere. Please does anyone know how I am going to be able to provide the mortgage company with something that will suffice so I can get a mortgage and get out of this downward spiral of depression that my life currently is. Thanks for reading

:|My wife is a Carer who uses her car to visit clients homes. She's employed by an agency, but, doesn't receive a fuel allowance. She went on the HMRC website and filed what she thought was the appropriate form for claiming fuel allowance. She was told she would have to fill in a tax return form that would also include an expenses form. Being PAYE she had never had to do this before. So, she fills in the form, sent it off, and the next thing is she gets a letter telling her because she put her form in late,she had incurred a £100 fine and had (I think) 14 days in which to pay or it would increase on a daily basis! The fine was paid within the 14 days. We're still not sure how to make the fuel allowance claim as the HMRC sent everything back to her. Also, should she have been fined as an PAYE claimant. The mind boggles!

Need a bit of advice, 2013/2014 HMRC said they overpaid working tax credits by £5500. My wife was claiming DLA, we didn't receive a payment but they paid her NI contributions as I earned too much, the previous years claims where fine apparently but nothing had changed in the claim just maybe my wage might have increased slightly. Long story short we tried to go through the dispute path but missed out by being over the 30 days mainly due to me having heart surgery in-between all this. We haven't heard anything regarding the debt just on the renewal pack saying we had a debt and it would be taken out of any working tax payments but we don't receive any payments so it hasn't been dropping. Got a letter from Advantis wanting full payment or a payment agreement setting up, I don't mind paying what we owe even though we have issues with HMRC in all this. How is the best way to deal with this I am limited on how much I can pay as just before my heart surgery we got married and took a loan out and as I was off work for 4 months racked up a big credit card bill just getting by.

Mine is a complicated tale and desperately need some advice. To make it easier I will break it down as even I have difficulty undestanding it 2006 Applied for Job Seeker's allowance but refused on I hadn't worked for the last 5 years which I had. After much backwards & forwards they told me they had lost my records then found them and wld now credit NI onto my records. Too late to get the JSA etc as now out of time 2015 Applied for a Pension statement & noticed not enough years on Guess what the original missing 5 NI not been credited. Sent letter & copies of original forms I filled in (to show income for each year) and assured they would update their records. Dawned on me that as they had not updated my records when they said they would they would also not have sent any pension contributions to private pension co (I was contracted out to L & Gen). Contacted L & Gen and was sent summary of contributions. No contribution sent from HMRC for the missing years which approx totals £5,000. Wrote to them again and they sent me a letter to confirm that they had put the NI back on BUT for some strange reason instead of NI basd on my wages at the time £48-50K they had said I only earned £5,000-£7,000. Want me to prove I earned it with wageslips/P45 etc from 2001-2005 :mad2: Just contacted Bank to see if I can have statements for that period which hopefully will show a weekly wage (by BACS) otherwise I am stuffed!!! Can any one please advise, I have spoke, written to every department in HMRC and they still are cocking up my records:-x Thanks

This post is long over due I need some help and advise as I just don't know if I can take this stress on my shoulders any more despite having a loving caring family and the shame that this will bring on our family. April last year I received a letter from HMRC compliance asking me to contact them re Self assessment return for 14-15 as they wanted confirmation expenses claimed, at the time I had been employed as a sales manager and had to take clients out a lot and they often refused to sign off expenses so I just put them through on my tax return as I thought that I could do this and had been doing it for a number of years including road mileage etc. Around the same time I had just been made redundant but managed to get a job for an oversees company but could only pay me as a contractor as no accounts in the UK, this was always going to be a temporary arrangement or so I thought. Meanwhile I had been in contact with my compliance officer at HMRC and sent him everything that he had asked for and he was a actually a really nice man and reassured me that this wasn't a criminal investigation merely putting all the facts together. A while passed and whilst occasionally in communication he asked me to meet him at the HMRC office in London this was now October so I did and I was taken to a room where him and a colleague who was there to make notes greeted me. He told me that I shouldn't of been claiming expenses on HMRC as the company that I had worked for had an agreement with HMRC for employees claiming expenses (there is a word for this but I cant remember) which is fine but they clearly understand the characters that I had worked for and the problems we had getting these signed off. the compliance officer at the end dropped the bombshell that I owed 70k as they had gone back 10 years and they where going to add penalty charges and interest but they wouldn't know what that was yet, I was obviously gob smacked and I said that I didn't want to go bankrupt as this would effect my job and any future job prospects because of the nature of my sales role. They both categorically told me that I wouldn't be made bankrupt and I would be able to pay them off as long as it took and I would still be able to have nice holidays and they even said they couldn't get blood out of a stone. So whilst I came away from the meeting very anxious it was reassuring to think that I could pay this off maybe over 10 years or so. I soon got confirmation that in total with everything added I owed around 120k which is unbelievable considering the debt was 70k and during these years I had been paying a lot of tax and (I have never not paid tax since I was 16). I soon got letters from the HMRC debt management and was asked to contact them which I did and I was immediately taken back as to how aggressive they where and when I explained my conversations with my compliance officer they just laughed and said that they have got no authority to be giving me information like that and It is completely wrong and they said that ultimately If I couldn't pay I would be made bankrupt. I immediately contacted my officer and I have this on email and told him what had happened and he came back on email and said that he would contact them which he did and came back and said that he had spoken to them and it should be fine now. I contacted them again and they told me exactly the same thing that he shouldn't be getting involved we are the debt management team and that was that. Shortly after I had a visit from a field office and had the same conversations and she said the same things like we are not a bank and why should we let you pay over a period of years we want our money now. eventually I got a letter from the Debt final resolution team and whilst the lady has been very nice she gave me until the end of next year to pay the debt which means me finding 4k a month and a lump sum of 70k and whilst I have been trying to find someone to lend me the money its just not going to happened and I have paid the 4k for 2 months and its just left me and my family not paying for other debts and we have got behind with everything like car payments, Loans etc and I am not at my wits end as there is no light at the end of the tunnel I cant even afford to buy my boys school clothes to go back to school. The thing is I have never disputed the money I owe them I would honestly pay back every penny the thought of going bankrupt fills me with dread and how this would effect our family and stigma attached to it and will it be in papers who will find out I just have no where to turn and my employer will probably sack me once I tell them its just a really awful situation and I need help.

Hello My father is currently in a Nursing Home on a permanent basis after a couple of years of bad health. Prior to that he was a Self Employed Accountant. However we have been getting mail from HMRC asking for him to file his tax return, and penalty notices amongst other things. We believe that nothing has been posted for at least 3-4 years? I am awaiting POA to come through but until then I really am at a loss what to do as they wont entertain talking to me. He also has a DC chasing him for £2050 which is also for HMRC. Any help greatfully appreciated.

Just a quick question I recently received a refund from the HMRC for a overpayment of Tax, the amount was for £207 and covered the period between 06/04/16 to 05/04/17, does anybody on the forum know if this is taken into account by the DWP when it comes to payment of Universal Credit?. I have had a look on the internet but I can't find any clear information on this, so I hope you can help?. Many Thanks in advance.

Hi, managed to find this forum and it so far have proved to be extremely informative and very helpful. I have a number of questions before I continue with my battle with the HMRC and the Advantis. Quick Summary: Back in 2015 I received a letter from the HMRC stating I owed over £3000 as an overpayment from Working Tax Credit. Really unsure how this could have happened as I always notified them immediately after any changes in my circumstance. Queries this via a phone call and realised there was an error on their behalf. They wrote again to me stating the new amount I owed was now £1200. This time I wrote to them asking for a breakdown of what they paid me and what I was entitled too. I also stated if I had been over paid I would repay. They responded with a letter stating they had considered my appeal and denied it but didn’t provide any breakdown. I sent a further letter stating I just wanted a breakdown to check the numbers (due to their previous error). I heard nothing for 1.5 years. I probably should have chased this further but didn’t. Until several weeks ago when I got a letter for Advantis stating my debt had been passed over to them for £1600. I followed some standard advice and wrote back to Advantis stating that I didn’t acknowledge any debt to their company and I was still in dispute with HMRC about this matter. This of course prompted me to re-contact HRMC to again ask for the details of the over payment. I also called HMRC about the matter. They stated they had received the change in my details but continued to overpay me stating it was standard practice. At this point I mentioned the Advantis letter and they then said they wouldn’t discuss the matter any further as it was with Debt Collect Agency and not their matter anymore. I’ve not had any written response from the HMRC. In the meantime Advantis have written back asking me to prove that I am in dispute with HMRC and to write to them about. They have also broken down the payment to show the original £1200 plus a new bill for the following year tax year for an additional £400. I’ve never seen this amount and not had any letters from HMRC about this amount There seems to be some great advice on this forum so hopefully somebody will help me in this situation. Questions: 1) do I write back to Advantis again stating that I don’t acknowledge the debt with them and say its in dispute with HMRC Or 2) Just ignore Advantis? 3) Do I need to send another letter to HMRC asking for a SAR regarding the original disputed amount? I also need to query where this additional £400 has come from? I’m not really sure the best way to proceed with this. On a final note, if I have been overpaid by the HMRC I will pay it back, I just wanted some form of proof that this has been incorrectly calculated. Any help gratefully received...

Quick summary: - I owed about £200 in tax, which was passed to Rossendales - Tax was paid directly via HMRC website - Rossendales requested proof, which I sent - Rossendales then tell me HMRC say this relates to another debt (even though the payment reference shows the correct debt) and for me to send a payment proposal. - I send an SAR to Rossendales requesting among other things, a transcript of the conversation with HMRC about this being the "wrong debt". - Rossendales write back saying: "Sorry, we are not the Data Controller, send your SAR to HMRC" Question - is Rossendales obliged to deal with my SAR or can they pass the buck to HMRC?

Just got a Annual Review letter dated May 21st arrive today, it is to do with WTC We are not entitled to WRC but are paying pay money owed to HMRC due to their error, paying £100 a month. The letter states over payment, up to April 2017, 3 931.71 £100 has already been paid back by us???? been paying since last year and have bank statements £526.39 is due from us now! and £305.32 is still to be confirmed as over paid I rang them and was told they can see we have a payment plan in place etc and that the £305.32 is owed to them but we will find out how to pay it by September, I asked how can we owe them when we do not get WTC and have not done so for awhile, all was told wait till September? I am fuming as not missed any payments TIA for and help and advice Sandy xx

Hi. Long story short. I have outstanding debts with HMRC going back to 2005, mostly due to not filing my SA returns. Most of it is fines and assumptions of my earnings, even though I probably haven't earned more than £5-8000 a year since the first year. We've lived hand to mouth since then, and hidden from our responsibilities, and the debt is now over £9000. I accept that due to me burying my head in the sand, it is entirely my own fault. My question is this. I am about to take one of my private pensions as a lump sum (around £40k) and I need to know whether HMRC will help themselves to everything they say I owe, before I'm paid out. I realise that I will be taxed at the emergency rate, and that they may well keep the overpayment to clear my debt, but that wouldn't cover it all. Can they take any more to cover the balance owed? Thanks in advance for any advice.

[/HMRC are claiming that a "further information" box was ticked but there was no further information included on a child tax credit form from five years ago when my daughter was attending college and now want the payments back. I know for a fact I hadn't ticked this box as there wasn't any additional information. Could I please have suggestions as to how to deal with this?