Seemingly trivial things that annoy you

Stevo_666

Pross said:

Stevo_666 said:

Pross said:

HMRC "helpline". Trying to speak to someone as I've had my tax code changed due to them thinking I've got two incomes, call the supposed helpline which starts with 5 minutes of blurb about how busy they are, not to give them abuse, trying to convince me to use the online assistant (which is equally useless and just points you to generic advice). I then get the 'please hold to speak to someone' and more excuses about how busy they are and how wonderfully useful their website is before a 'thank you' and the call ending. Maybe JRM has a point about these feckless Civil Servants.

FFS Got further and did all the automated security checks, get the message 'you may have to wait a while as we really, really are busy honest', carry on holding and get another message saying everyone is busy, try again some time, goodbye.

Do you have a HMRC account? In the past I have had an annual task when my bonus comes in and the HMRC system assumes that I'm going to get paid that every month, so generates a new tax code. I just go into my account and give them a realistic annual earnings estimate which is just accepted.

Yeah, I've just gone on there and adjusted my annual earnings / removed the non-coded income. They don't seem to have picked up that I left my previous job and started a new one so think I'm earning both (I wish!). I can't recall seeing a P45 from my previous employer and thought it must have been sent directly to my current employer so I suspect that is the cause of the issue. It would be so much easier to just speak to someone and be confident it was being properly dealt with but doing it this way the onus is on me having provided the correct information. If I've made any mistakes it will have been in good faith due to a rubbish system but no doubt they would use it as an excude to issue a fine.

My last dealings with them were by phone and actually very positive so I'm not sure why they've messed it up. I even tried to take part in the 'please answer questions to help us improve our service' bit and ironically that cut me off too!

Sounds like the P45 from your old job is the problem, true. Try your employer first before you go back into 'on hold' hell. They are very short staffed in some areas at present, though the upside of that is they're less likely to chase down minor errors or start asking questions.

TheBigBean

pblakeney said:

TheBigBean said:

pblakeney said:

TheBigBean said:

pblakeney said:

TheBigBean said:

Sounds like there is at least one upside to being self-employed.

You've not had to deal directly with HMRC?
It was a bi-annual event for me. They were good pre-covid though.

Typically I just do the return and pay the bill. No real reason to talk to them.

Luck you! I quite often got the random number generated tax code which had to be corrected.

You don't get a tax code when you are self-employed.

Depends on how you structure your income.
I certainly did, ie maximum allowance L.

If you make yourself an employee of your own company then you are employed, have a tax code and suffer far more admin. If you are purely self-employed you don't.

morstar

I think the system has just ‘had a moment’.

My last year tax code was correct off the bat, even allowing for all the random contributions to pension/charity and allowances etc.

Did my tax return over the weekend and it pops up today with a tax code that ignores half the stuff despite it being identical to last year.

Annoyed initially but then decided they’ll sort it out in the coming days.

If they don’t, I will pay a bunch of tax that they’ll then have to give back.

First.Aspect

Stevo_666 said:

Pross said:

HMRC "helpline". Trying to speak to someone as I've had my tax code changed due to them thinking I've got two incomes, call the supposed helpline which starts with 5 minutes of blurb about how busy they are, not to give them abuse, trying to convince me to use the online assistant (which is equally useless and just points you to generic advice). I then get the 'please hold to speak to someone' and more excuses about how busy they are and how wonderfully useful their website is before a 'thank you' and the call ending. Maybe JRM has a point about these feckless Civil Servants.

FFS Got further and did all the automated security checks, get the message 'you may have to wait a while as we really, really are busy honest', carry on holding and get another message saying everyone is busy, try again some time, goodbye.

Do you have a HMRC account? In the past I have had an annual task when my bonus comes in and the HMRC system assumes that I'm going to get paid that every month, so generates a new tax code. I just go into my account and give them a realistic annual earnings estimate which is just accepted.

When my bonus comes in, the HMRC ignore it and I get under taxed and his with a January anti-bonus. I tried hard wiring it in this year with a higher estimated salary, and I'm about to brace myself for the effort of doing my return not actually at the last minute.

masjer

Pheasants, or more specifically, getting spooked by pheasants while cycling along on quiet lanes. They have an annoying habit of hunkering down in the long grass, then at the last second (when they think their cover is blown), sound a stupid alarm call whilst struggling to take off.

A real jerk of the bird world.

rick_chasey

masjer said:

Pheasants, or more specifically, getting spooked by pheasants while cycling along on quiet lanes. They have an annoying habit of hunkering down in the long grass, then at the last second (when they think their cover is blown), sound a stupid alarm call whilst struggling to take off.

A real jerk of the bird world.

They’re very stupid. Hence being good cannon fodder.

pblakeney

TheBigBean said:

pblakeney said:

TheBigBean said:

pblakeney said:

TheBigBean said:

pblakeney said:

TheBigBean said:

Sounds like there is at least one upside to being self-employed.

You've not had to deal directly with HMRC?
It was a bi-annual event for me. They were good pre-covid though.

Typically I just do the return and pay the bill. No real reason to talk to them.

Luck you! I quite often got the random number generated tax code which had to be corrected.

You don't get a tax code when you are self-employed.

Depends on how you structure your income.
I certainly did, ie maximum allowance L.

If you make yourself an employee of your own company then you are employed, have a tax code and suffer far more admin. If you are purely self-employed you don't.

There are benefits to having that admin*. Choices to be made. Each to their own.

*Admin that generally took 10 minutes a month once in the groove and an occasional phone call.

briantrumpet

TheBigBean said:

pblakeney said:

TheBigBean said:

pblakeney said:

TheBigBean said:

Sounds like there is at least one upside to being self-employed.

You've not had to deal directly with HMRC?
It was a bi-annual event for me. They were good pre-covid though.

Typically I just do the return and pay the bill. No real reason to talk to them.

Luck you! I quite often got the random number generated tax code which had to be corrected.

You don't get a tax code when you are solely self-employed.

I think my worst year I had four employments (or might have been five), plus SE earnings, and one of those employments, complete with P60 then P45, was for a single two-hour lesson for a Marines bandsman.

Stevo_666

First.Aspect said:

Stevo_666 said:

Pross said:

HMRC "helpline". Trying to speak to someone as I've had my tax code changed due to them thinking I've got two incomes, call the supposed helpline which starts with 5 minutes of blurb about how busy they are, not to give them abuse, trying to convince me to use the online assistant (which is equally useless and just points you to generic advice). I then get the 'please hold to speak to someone' and more excuses about how busy they are and how wonderfully useful their website is before a 'thank you' and the call ending. Maybe JRM has a point about these feckless Civil Servants.

FFS Got further and did all the automated security checks, get the message 'you may have to wait a while as we really, really are busy honest', carry on holding and get another message saying everyone is busy, try again some time, goodbye.

Do you have a HMRC account? In the past I have had an annual task when my bonus comes in and the HMRC system assumes that I'm going to get paid that every month, so generates a new tax code. I just go into my account and give them a realistic annual earnings estimate which is just accepted.

When my bonus comes in, the HMRC ignore it and I get under taxed and his with a January anti-bonus. I tried hard wiring it in this year with a higher estimated salary, and I'm about to brace myself for the effort of doing my return not actually at the last minute.

If you need the cash flow then don't make the effort. Just remember to set some aside come 31 January.

focuszing723

masjer said:

Pheasants, or more specifically, getting spooked by pheasants while cycling along on quiet lanes. They have an annoying habit of hunkering down in the long grass, then at the last second (when they think their cover is blown), sound a stupid alarm call whilst struggling to take off.

A real jerk of the bird world.

Meh, I'd also be flapping me arms and making strange sounds if I thought I was being shot at.

TheBigBean

briantrumpet said:

TheBigBean said:

pblakeney said:

TheBigBean said:

pblakeney said:

TheBigBean said:

Sounds like there is at least one upside to being self-employed.

You've not had to deal directly with HMRC?
It was a bi-annual event for me. They were good pre-covid though.

Typically I just do the return and pay the bill. No real reason to talk to them.

Luck you! I quite often got the random number generated tax code which had to be corrected.

You don't get a tax code when you are solely self-employed.

I think my worst year I had four employments (or might have been five), plus SE earnings, and one of those employments, complete with P60 then P45, was for a single two-hour lesson for a Marines bandsman.

I believe this is a flounce, but you lot are hard work.

briantrumpet

TheBigBean said:

briantrumpet said:

TheBigBean said:

pblakeney said:

TheBigBean said:

pblakeney said:

TheBigBean said:

Sounds like there is at least one upside to being self-employed.

You've not had to deal directly with HMRC?
It was a bi-annual event for me. They were good pre-covid though.

Typically I just do the return and pay the bill. No real reason to talk to them.

Luck you! I quite often got the random number generated tax code which had to be corrected.

You don't get a tax code when you are solely self-employed.

I think my worst year I had four employments (or might have been five), plus SE earnings, and one of those employments, complete with P60 then P45, was for a single two-hour lesson for a Marines bandsman.

I believe this is a flounce, but you lot are hard work.

👍

briantrumpet

As for HMRC helplines, they were absolutely brilliant when self assessment was introduced and we still had local tax offices - they'd answer in seconds and know their onions. But they've got worse and worse... I gave up trying to ask them to take more PAYE after sitting on hold for about an hour, and decided they'd have to work it out for themselves when they got my tax return quite a bit later.

First.Aspect

Stevo_666 said:

First.Aspect said:

Stevo_666 said:

Pross said:

HMRC "helpline". Trying to speak to someone as I've had my tax code changed due to them thinking I've got two incomes, call the supposed helpline which starts with 5 minutes of blurb about how busy they are, not to give them abuse, trying to convince me to use the online assistant (which is equally useless and just points you to generic advice). I then get the 'please hold to speak to someone' and more excuses about how busy they are and how wonderfully useful their website is before a 'thank you' and the call ending. Maybe JRM has a point about these feckless Civil Servants.

FFS Got further and did all the automated security checks, get the message 'you may have to wait a while as we really, really are busy honest', carry on holding and get another message saying everyone is busy, try again some time, goodbye.

Do you have a HMRC account? In the past I have had an annual task when my bonus comes in and the HMRC system assumes that I'm going to get paid that every month, so generates a new tax code. I just go into my account and give them a realistic annual earnings estimate which is just accepted.

When my bonus comes in, the HMRC ignore it and I get under taxed and his with a January anti-bonus. I tried hard wiring it in this year with a higher estimated salary, and I'm about to brace myself for the effort of doing my return not actually at the last minute.

If you need the cash flow then don't make the effort. Just remember to set some aside come 31 January.

It's mostly the 4 hours to reset the password and overcome technical glitches in order to part with money that I object to. Yes, I could be more organised.

rick_chasey

Browsing Vinted.

Who are these people kidding when they list their 34inch waist trousers as “XS”

First.Aspect

rick_chasey said:

Browsing Vinted.

Who are these people kidding when they list their 34inch waist trousers as “XS”

How long are they?

Pross

rick_chasey said:

Browsing Vinted.

Who are these people kidding when they list their 34inch waist trousers as “XS”

Unfortunately looking around the general population I would say a 34” is at the smaller end of the spectrum (although most 34” trousers are probably really a 36-38” as clothing sizes tend to flatter these days).

rick_chasey

First.Aspect said:

rick_chasey said:

Browsing Vinted.

Who are these people kidding when they list their 34inch waist trousers as “XS”

How long are they?

32.

Hell I just tried on a 30inch from M&S and it barely hung on to me.

I think I’ve lost quite a bit of weight recently.

pblakeney

rick_chasey said:

Browsing Vinted.

Who are these people kidding when they list their 34inch waist trousers as “XS”

People* say I'm too skinny. I'm a 34", preferred being 32" and will get back there soon.

*People have normalised being oversized. Refer to the other thread.

Stevo_666

rick_chasey said:

First.Aspect said:

rick_chasey said:

Browsing Vinted.

Who are these people kidding when they list their 34inch waist trousers as “XS”

How long are they?

32.

Hell I just tried on a 30inch from M&S and it barely hung on to me.

I think I’ve lost quite a bit of weight recently.

If you go to one of the school outfitters outside of the week before term starts you could get some bargains that fit

surrey_commuter

morstar said:

I think the system has just ‘had a moment’.

My last year tax code was correct off the bat, even allowing for all the random contributions to pension/charity and allowances etc.

Did my tax return over the weekend and it pops up today with a tax code that ignores half the stuff despite it being identical to last year.

Annoyed initially but then decided they’ll sort it out in the coming days.

If they don’t, I will pay a bunch of tax that they’ll then have to give back.

This is what I do.

Are the others updating things for cash flow purposes

pinno

TheBigBean said:

briantrumpet said:

TheBigBean said:

pblakeney said:

TheBigBean said:

pblakeney said:

TheBigBean said:

Sounds like there is at least one upside to being self-employed.

You've not had to deal directly with HMRC?
It was a bi-annual event for me. They were good pre-covid though.

Typically I just do the return and pay the bill. No real reason to talk to them.

Luck you! I quite often got the random number generated tax code which had to be corrected.

You don't get a tax code when you are solely self-employed.

I think my worst year I had four employments (or might have been five), plus SE earnings, and one of those employments, complete with P60 then P45, was for a single two-hour lesson for a Marines bandsman.

I believe this is a flounce, but you lot are impossible.

FTFY

Pross

Following the moan about trying to actually speak to someone at HMRC I managed to use the online system to correct my tax code which seemed to be remarkably easy. I guess the test will be what my pay slip shows at the end of May and whether I get any threatening letters from HMRC over the next few years!

Pross

masjer said:

Pheasants, or more specifically, getting spooked by pheasants while cycling along on quiet lanes. They have an annoying habit of hunkering down in the long grass, then at the last second (when they think their cover is blown), sound a stupid alarm call whilst struggling to take off.

A real jerk of the bird world.

Saw one when walking the dog this morning, a route I do most days and have never seen one there before. I was about to try to get a photo of him lying down in the grass but he decided the dogs were too close and did a runner. He seemed surprisingly intelligent by pheasant standards and actually ran away from us instead of towards us. That might explain how he was in a field that would have required him to survive crossing lots of roads to get from the nearest shooting estate.

Munsford0

Pross said:

That might explain how he was in a field that would have required him to survive crossing lots of roads to get from the nearest shooting estate.

There is always that flying thing they do...

Unlike badgers

After 40+ years of driving I finally had one scurry in front of the car recently. I was doing 60, oncoming traffic, just about dark, caught a glimpse of something in the headlight then badoom as it went under front then rear wheel. Hopefully it was instantaneous for the badger. Took out the fog light, parts of the bumper and the wheel arch liner on its way through. Insurance job.

First.Aspect

That's why I drive slowly at night. A neighbour has now had two deer strikes. Fortunately she's got a council house and a motability car so its everyone else's problem.

Pross

Munsford0 said:

Pross said:

That might explain how he was in a field that would have required him to survive crossing lots of roads to get from the nearest shooting estate.

There is always that flying thing they do...

Unlike badgers

After 40+ years of driving I finally had one scurry in front of the car recently. I was doing 60, oncoming traffic, just about dark, caught a glimpse of something in the headlight then badoom as it went under front then rear wheel. Hopefully it was instantaneous for the badger. Took out the fog light, parts of the bumper and the wheel arch liner on its way through. Insurance job.

They're not great at flying though. It seems to have been something they've developed to make them easier to shoot at. When I was in college a friend had his car written off by hitting a badger.

pblakeney

First.Aspect said:

That's why I drive slowly at night. A neighbour has now had two deer strikes. Fortunately she's got a council house and a motability car so its everyone else's problem.

How fast does her council house go? The curious need to know.

surrey_commuter

Munsford0 said:

Pross said:

That might explain how he was in a field that would have required him to survive crossing lots of roads to get from the nearest shooting estate.

There is always that flying thing they do...

Unlike badgers

After 40+ years of driving I finally had one scurry in front of the car recently. I was doing 60, oncoming traffic, just about dark, caught a glimpse of something in the headlight then badoom as it went under front then rear wheel. Hopefully it was instantaneous for the badger. Took out the fog light, parts of the bumper and the wheel arch liner on its way through. Insurance job.

I always assumed farmers poisoned badgers and then left them by the side of the road so it looked like an accident

Stevo_666

surrey_commuter said:

morstar said:

I think the system has just ‘had a moment’.

My last year tax code was correct off the bat, even allowing for all the random contributions to pension/charity and allowances etc.

Did my tax return over the weekend and it pops up today with a tax code that ignores half the stuff despite it being identical to last year.

Annoyed initially but then decided they’ll sort it out in the coming days.

If they don’t, I will pay a bunch of tax that they’ll then have to give back.

This is what I do.

Are the others updating things for cash flow purposes

I prefer to get it roughly right rather than overpay or underpay during the year. Overpay and you're just lending money to HMRC interest free: underpay and its annoying to have to shell out a (larger than would otherwise be the case) lump at the end of January. Each to their own however.