I have filed a tax return in the past but I took HMRC’s online survey which said I didn’t need to do one for last year.
HMRC was putting out public announcements at the time, saying please don’t phone us just fill in an online form if you no longer need to do a tax return, so I did that last Autumn.
The automated email I got in response said: ‘If your request is successful we will confirm in writing. If your request is not successful we will write and explain the reason why or ask for further information.’
However, I heard nothing more so I sent a registered letter to HMRC at the end of last year, giving the evidence I’d tried to notify them and saying I didn’t intend to file a return unless they got back to me asap.
I’ve still heard nothing, and now I don’t know what to do. Will I be fined £100 even though I’ve done everything I can think of to sort this – except phone HMRC, which they tell us not to do!
If I get fined and have to challenge it would I be successful? I’m worried that if it happened and I needed to get an accountant involved to fight it for me that would cost a lot of money.
Hefty fine: If you fail to file a tax return when you should, HMRC can slap you with a £100 fine
Harvey Dorset, of This is Money, replies: Most of us will be familiar on difficulties people face when contacting HMRC regarding tax.
The system is plagued by confusing web pages and busy phones lines – not to mention tax calculations that many struggle to make head or tail of.
Last year, This is Money reported more than two thirds of accountants believe HMRC’s poor service is damaging small businesses, with the Government department having cut its customer service workforce from 25,000 to 19,500 over five years.
This came after HMRC announced last March that it would close its self-assessment helpline from April to September and only deal with priority calls once it reopened, shifting all other queries to its online chatbots.
Given the uproar this caused, the department rolled back on its decision a day later stating: ‘The pace of this change needs to match the public appetite for managing their tax affairs online.’
HMRC is stretched and the fewer calls it receives the better. But it’s frustrating that you’ve gone above and beyond to find out your tax return status… and the looming fear of fighting a potential fine.
This is Money spoke to HMRC to see if they can shed light on what you should do to ensure you get the information you need.
Heather Rodgers, the founder and owner of Aston Accountancy and This is Money’s resident tax expert, also gives her advice below on what you should do if your queries continue to go unanswered.
A spokesman for HMRC told This is Money: You can check your Personal Tax Account (PTA), which will show the date you submitted the application to cease self assessment.
The status will display the stage your request is at.
At the point that HMRC actions your request, the status message will show as completed and remains on your account for two years.
We would write you a letter to confirm that the self assessment record is closed, or if we need more details from you.
If you have not received a letter and it has been more than three weeks since you submitted the online form, then customers should check their PTA before contacting us by webchat self assessment.
Customers can access their PTA using their HMRC online account or the HMRC app.
Heather Rogers replies: HMRC try to push taxpayers to their online services as though they are the solution to all tax issues, which unfortunately they are not.
If a review by a member of staff is required on their application, then until that happens, the taxpayer is no further forward.
As you have written and also received no response, you can call them. You can also complain (you can do this online as well).
If you don’t get satisfaction at HMRC you can go to the Adjudicator.
If you do receive a penalty, then you have clear grounds to appeal.
If you don’t receive a response to your appeal, just go direct to the Adjudicator.
For further details, you can check my guide on what to do in a dispute with the taxman – go to the section called ‘What about when HMRC messes up?’
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Have a question about a tax return? Get in touch: editor@thisismoney.co.uk
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