WTF !!! - People wonder why this country is in such a mess !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Machiavelli]

Fortunate by my reckoning!

I am. Most of the time.

 

[Albumen]

Never trust a man in a suit

People that work in offices are leeches

Is this part of your range of car bumper stickers?

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

A question, do they tell you what number you are in the queue when on hold to HMRC?

I'm in Sweden at the mo and they do that at literally every call centre. It's a godsend! Every time you move up the queue you get told by a nice robot. It makes the whole process so much less stressful and you have a way of actually estimating how long you'll be on hold for and if you have time to go for a poo or not.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

I must have got lucky? I have a split tax code due to two sources of income. Twice in the last year when I've had reason to call HMRC over this issue, I've got through in reasonably quick time and spoken to somebody who appears half sensible and knows what they are talking about. Tax codes suitably adjusted plus rebates all in under two weeks.

Where did I go wrong?

I must be lucky too then.

I had issues regarding taxing from a former employer and they quickly changed the tax code and sorted out rebates also easily answered all my questions. Its all very easy to say the entire system is broken when it hasnt gone your way or when a cock-up is made, but not all their employees are useless. Same for all companies really, you get good guys and you get ars*holes.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

A question, do they tell you what number you are in the queue when on hold to HMRC?

Sadly, no they don't. Hardly a rocket science thing to put in one would have thought. Then I can make a decision to either stay in the queue or ring back later, especially as it isn't a free number !

 

[Wrong-Direction]

Is this part of your range of car bumper stickers?

Yeah along with "Cyclists move out of the way!"

 

[Albumen]

Never trust a man in a suit

People that work in offices are leeches

Yeah along with "Cyclists move out of the way!"

Are you here all week?

 

[CheeseRolls]

Sadly, no they don't. Hardly a rocket science thing to put in one would have thought. Then I can make a decision to either stay in the queue or ring back later, especially as it isn't a free number !

There is only one type of initiative that will ever be approved in this environment and that is one that cuts costs. I suppose a secondary may just be to cut levels of threats and violence to staff. Put aside your current understandable frustration and ask yourself, would you choose to spend money on customer service for those on benefits (specifically employment related benefits) or on creating employment opportunities. The latter will win every time.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

Are you here all week?

I can be..

 

[GOM]

Two days later a letter arrives saying we hadn't provide bank details ( which WERE on the form ). Two days later another letter arrives with the calculation of entitlement which ignores entirely the fact we have a dependent child and gets my partners work hours completely wrong DESPITE it all being completed on the form.

.

From experience I would recommend not ringing Tax Credits on a Monday or Friday, or anytime July to August inclusive. If you must, then ring at a time when parents are on the school run, which applies to any day.
Also would suggest make sure your printing is legible, as when scanning in forms, if it is not clear it will be left out.
When doing annual declaration, do it as early as possible, do not wait until July-Aug, otherwise you will spend an hour plus in the queue. Try ringing saturdays.

 

[Worthingite]

So, due to circumstances our household has had to apply for working tax credits and we checked it using the online calculator.

Got the manual form sent, filled it out and sent it back. As we hadn't heard anything after four weeks we phoned HMRC. Great, an hours wait just to be told you shouldn't phone for an update for at least EIGHT weeks after your application. Wait the eight weeks to be told "Why did you wait so long to chase ?" - Errrr - excuse f**king me !!!!!

Oh, by the way, we appear to have lost your application. We'll send another form.

Two days later a small cheque arrives - no covering letter or anything. Two days later a letter arrives saying we hadn't provide bank details ( which WERE on the form ). Two days later another letter arrives with the calculation of entitlement which ignores entirely the fact we have a dependent child and gets my partners work hours completely wrong DESPITE it all being completed on the form.

Ring up ( over an hours wait again ) and give the details AGAIN !!!!!!!!

Letter today, thank you for your updated bank details but still showing no child and the wrong work hours.

What kind of morons do HMRC employ ? Really ??

To top it all off, there is no government minister in charge of HMRC so you have nobody other than HMRC to complain to about their utter shambolic incompetence.

And don't even get me started on how pathetic the council tax department in B&H Council is !!!!!!!!!!!!!

**** and breathe ****

Seriously, how difficult should this be ? Why not send all the letters together and save LOADS of money ( as single simple example ) ? It's despairing that this countries governmental departments seem incapable of even the most basic of tasks.

Similar thing with me and Worthing Council - lost my initial Housing Benefit forms, resubmitted, because they didn't receive my initial forms they refused to backdate to the point that I had initially applied. After a few strong words, they relented, but still, they're all fecking hopeless.

 

[warsaw]

Isn't it strange how anyone who needs a benefit just to live has to wait months for it to come through, but if someone needs a passport for their holiday it seems that Ministers are prepared to throw each and every resource at it (my son has just recently been up to London for an appointment at 7.15 pm for a passport)

The difference is of course their relative political toxicity. Simply wrong on every level.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Maybe it's something to do with the fact that they are underfunded and desperately understaffed.

 

[Uncle C]

I worked on the delivery of the Tax Credits system to HMRC back in 2003-5.
Always said that ar$e should of been tried for treason.

Glad to see they required high standards of English.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

With EDS by chance ?

Indeed, then TUPE's over to Crap-Gemini ....

 

[glasfryn]

just wait until you start applying for your pension

 

[John Bumlick]

I'm in Sweden at the mo

really!?!?!?

 

[yxee]

"cutting costs without affecting frontline services" = all your admin will henceforth be awful

 

[maltaseagull]

People that work in offices are leeches

Really? Please explain your reasoning.

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

Really? Please explain your reasoning.

Coz he's a plumber and cant wear a suit to work