In praise of HMRC!

this may have been my MIL ?

HMRC are dreadful. They did not take enough tax off me the last year I was working (their fault) then they treated me like a criminal. Told me the penalties for tax evasion then proceeded to take £250 a month from my pension despite the fact that I only have a small pension. In the end I had to consult my MP who got my repayments reduced, but I am in poverty now. HMRC are bullying scumbags who need to go after the big tax evaders like Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos and pop stars.

From the perspective of an employee.A family member has just left working for HMRC after only several weeks.The support and training she was receiving was truly abysmal and she wasn't alone in feeling that. The communications from the minute she was offered a job were bad and she felt stressed and anxious from day one.Feedback from other staff made her feel nothing was going to improve. It is a shame as she is lovely ,hardworking and had high hopes for the job.A nd definitely a one to quit in usual circumstances. Glad you had a better experience but it's not left a favourable opinion of them in our family at present.

Yay! My post finally arrived today. It took a month to get here!

Dinahmo

I think that those of you have got through quickly have been extremely lucky.

One of my clients has been run ragged by trying to get through to HMRC recently. I myself have sometimes waited for nearly an hour on the agents helpline and I wait because if I don't I will only have to try again and wait again. By the time I get through I am usually furious but I never take it out on the person at the other end because it's not their fault.

HMRC are relying too much on their software and not training their staff properly.

I don't think I'd get so incensed if I was waiting on a ringing line, but they answer immediately then you PAY to listen to blah blah about stuff you're not interested in and moronic really bad recording of a rubbish tune, sometimes for hours ! .......whilst being charged on your phone for the pleasure! Let's go back to literally waiting on line for someone to answer and not a carpark for calls.

Have been fortunate with all calls bar one, when trying to get my mother's IHT sorted out. One couldn't have sounded less interested, but I was usually really impressed. What got me on repeated calls for IHT 400 was the woman saying 'IHAITCHT400' about ten times in quick succession. I love most dialects and accents but I must be getting an intolerance with age as haitch drives me up the wall.

I have had to phone them a few times recently as I had to do a tax return for the money I inherited from my mother. I don't have to pay tax in the UK as the sum was under the limit but I need documentation from them to submit with our German tax return.

On all occasions I got through immediately and was helped Inna very competent way. My problem is with Royal Mail. They have sent off the papers twice now and I still haven't received anything.

Time is running out and the deadline for 2020 (calendar year here) is the end of October.

It's "choose 1 for this, 2 for this, 3 for this and 4 for this", you pick one and then get another 4 or 6 to choose from. You get to the third set of choices and then realise you've picked the wrong one and you have to end your call, Phone again and try to pick the correct departments.

It really isn't the fault of the person answering the phone that it has taken so long to get through and so its no use being rude to them. But nowadays it doesn't seem to matter. Shop staff now take an awful lot of abuse and its not their fault that they are out of toilet rolls , petrol etc etc.

I try to be polite even after a long wait. I work on the principle that people are doing their best, and really don’t deserve the abuse I hear they’ve been getting. But I have been known to say, when offered a doctor’s appointment weeks in the future (I’m talking about the good old days when there actually were appointments!) “Well, I’ll either be dead or better.”

I agree Nannapat that staff are invariably helpful and pleasant but from what I've read, particularly in these past Covid times, it was actually getting through to someone in the first place that was the problem!

Over the years I have had dealings with HMRC both in my professional life (initially when it was Inland Revenue!) and personal. My experiences have been varied but on a personal level, I've always found that when contacting them by phone, they have been both charming and helpful.

I had a frustrating day last week of calling and calling then the call dropping off once I finally spoke to a human after 30 mins of waiting. I was in tears with frustration and then lovely young lady answered my final call before I gave up who filled in a form on my behalf and sorted me out without any fuss! So so so relieved and grateful!

Think I will find it difficult to complain about having to wait after experience this week waiting for GP phone to be answered after having to try 22 times over two days, some waits 20 mins before disconnecting then receptionist offering appointment 4 weeks ahead and then asking if problem was urgent!

I think that those of you have got through quickly have been extremely lucky.

One of my clients has been run ragged by trying to get through to HMRC recently. I myself have sometimes waited for nearly an hour on the agents helpline and I wait because if I don't I will only have to try again and wait again. By the time I get through I am usually furious but I never take it out on the person at the other end because it's not their fault.

HMRC are relying too much on their software and not training their staff properly.

Never yet been disappointed with the customer service received on the telephone with HMRC. Never takes too long to get to a real person and have always found the staff very, human, approachable, and clearly wanting to help. So sorry for those of you with relatives working there who have received abuse. Please pass on my deep graitude for the courtesy and consideration I have always received.

I fail to understand what has become of us all! why is there so much abuse ? to ... shaking head here and deep sighs..

yes, the other side of the coin is that we are told to "Be Nice"

why can`t we be nice?

My son works for HMRC and the abuse he's had....pretty horrendous actually and more often than not, he's actually trying to help people!

From what I've read Smileless many callers are lucky to get anyone at the other end - after hanging on for ages, they get cut off!

It always depends on who you get on the other end of the 'phone doesn't it Riverwalk.

I used to work for HMRC. Oh the abuse and flack over the years, along with comments such as 'It's alright for you, you don't pay tax'. What??!! Some if us were quite nice

That's worth a post Riverwalk.

I often have to call the DWP and can attest to the nightmare it is trying to get through not only to an actual person, but to the right person. So when I do finally make it and come across someone who is helpful it really does feel like red letter day.