Tax people

dinyull
dinyull Posts: 2,979
edited February 2017 in The cake stop
Got home to a rather nice few letters from the folks at HMRC last week. Basically tax rebate for years 2013-14 and 2014-15.

I joined my current employer in 2013 and I'm pretty sure I haven't received a letter saying my tax code has changed so thinking that I'll also be due a rebate for 2015-16 and the remainder of 2016-17 - am I right?

Also, I've asked my employer to check if I'm on the correct tax code now, but they're saying only HMRC can do this - is that correct?

Comments

  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Dinyull wrote:
    Got home to a rather nice few letters from the folks at HMRC last week. Basically tax rebate for years 2013-14 and 2014-15.

    I joined my current employer in 2013 and I'm pretty sure I haven't received a letter saying my tax code has changed so thinking that I'll also be due a rebate for 2015-16 and the remainder of 2016-17 - am I right?

    Also, I've asked my employer to check if I'm on the correct tax code now, but they're saying only HMRC can do this - is that correct?

    Tax code should be simply your personal allowance unless you have taxable benefits like a company car?

    2016-17 = £11,000 so code = 1100
    2015-16 = £10,600 so code = 1060
    2014-15 = £10,000 so code = 1000
    2013-14 = £9,440 so code = 944

    HMRC are the people who issue your tax code, and it's up to you to tell them if you think they've got it wrong
  • dinyull
    dinyull Posts: 2,979
    No taxable benefits.

    I'll check my wage slip tonight for code - but if it's that simple ^ how could they have been getting it wrong without noticing?

    It was quite a significant rebate - each was approx 5% of yearly salary. In the time I've been paying too much tax I was recovering from redundancy, bought a house, paid for a wedding - it's nice to get that lump sum but the extra monthly would have came in handy over the past 3+ years.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Wise to check their calculations. One year they insisted on giving me a +£1k rebate despite me telling them it sounded wrong. I banked it anyway, and sure enough, the next year they wanted it back. Turned out they had completely overlooked my company car.
  • surrey_commuter
    surrey_commuter Posts: 18,867
    Dinyull wrote:
    No taxable benefits.

    I'll check my wage slip tonight for code - but if it's that simple ^ how could they have been getting it wrong without noticing?

    It was quite a significant rebate - each was approx 5% of yearly salary. In the time I've been paying too much tax I was recovering from redundancy, bought a house, paid for a wedding - it's nice to get that lump sum but the extra monthly would have came in handy over the past 3+ years.

    HMRC assume you earn the same each month. If post redundancy you had several months of not earning it could explain part of the rebate. I would bank it asking no questions but keep it to hand in case they want it back.
  • mamba80
    mamba80 Posts: 5,032
    Given the HMRC, you could be getting an under payment notice next :)

    they might have given you an emergency code when you first started work again, get a hmrc personal tax account and you can check it all yourself.

    by doing this i found i was being taxed for two company cars and for a health insurance scheme i was no longer in!
  • dinyull
    dinyull Posts: 2,979
    Post redundancy, I was out of work for almost 3 months.

    The company I worked for was liquidated, after the 3 months I did a bit of agency work and as I didn't have a P45 etc from previous post I think they've given me a emergency code which has carried on to my current employer.

    Gonna have to speak with HMRC, as we've literally just found out we're expecting our first child. The cash is being earmarked for that so having to give it back would be a nightmare if I wasn't expecting it.
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 61,808
    Dinyull wrote:
    Got home to a rather nice few letters from the folks at HMRC last week. Basically tax rebate for years 2013-14 and 2014-15.

    I joined my current employer in 2013 and I'm pretty sure I haven't received a letter saying my tax code has changed so thinking that I'll also be due a rebate for 2015-16 and the remainder of 2016-17 - am I right?

    Also, I've asked my employer to check if I'm on the correct tax code now, but they're saying only HMRC can do this - is that correct?
    Probably you're due a refund if nothing else has changed.

    Your employer is right that only HMRC can deal with your tax code
    https://www.gov.uk/tax-codes/overview
    May be worth calling and asking them about the years where you haven't had a refund. Depends on amount, sometimes they wil adjust through a revised coding, sometimes you may get a direct refund.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    Got 2 brown envelopes today. One saying i had a £20 tax refund, the other saying the £20 car tax was due. The lord giveth and the lord taketh away...
  • laurentian
    laurentian Posts: 2,568
    keef66 wrote:
    Wise to check their calculations. One year they insisted on giving me a +£1k rebate despite me telling them it sounded wrong. I banked it anyway, and sure enough, the next year they wanted it back. Turned out they had completely overlooked my company car.

    Absolutely this. Check and double check and when you get the rebate cheque, check again.

    They have just told me I must pay them £1350 by Feb 15th as they got their calculation wrong in 2013/14 . . . 3 years ago ffs . . . when I received a rebate. There really should be some kind of limit to the time that you should be liable for their mistakes - I had nothing to do with the calculation. I am going to see if they will "code it" and would very much like them to amortise it over the next three years.
    Wilier Izoard XP
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    laurentian wrote:
    keef66 wrote:
    Wise to check their calculations. One year they insisted on giving me a +£1k rebate despite me telling them it sounded wrong. I banked it anyway, and sure enough, the next year they wanted it back. Turned out they had completely overlooked my company car.

    Absolutely this. Check and double check and when you get the rebate cheque, check again.

    They have just told me I must pay them £1350 by Feb 15th as they got their calculation wrong in 2013/14 . . . 3 years ago ffs . . . when I received a rebate. There really should be some kind of limit to the time that you should be liable for their mistakes - I had nothing to do with the calculation. I am going to see if they will "code it" and would very much like them to amortise it over the next three years.

    That's exactly what happened with me! Good job I hadn't spent my unexpected 'rebate'; they wanted it back almost immediately after they redid their calculations a year later. And they had the nerve to call it my underpayment! Luckily interest rates were decent back then so it earned me £50 while I was looking after it for them.

    Just got my notification of tax code for 17-18; need to check they have the right value for the car...
  • laurentian
    laurentian Posts: 2,568
    I am literally on hold waiting to speak to their people about a "payment plan" now - turns out the mistake was from 2011/12!!
    Wilier Izoard XP
  • laurentian
    laurentian Posts: 2,568
    <<update>>

    They now don't think I owe it at all as it "disappeared" in 2012/13 . . .

    despite me being ready for an argument, the lady was very nice
    Wilier Izoard XP
  • ballysmate
    ballysmate Posts: 15,996
    laurentian wrote:
    I am literally on hold waiting to speak to their people about a "payment plan" now - turns out the mistake was from 2011/12!!

    I underpaid a couple of years back. Paying it back monthly over 3 years direct debit.
    Was given the choice of paying it back in a lump sum or monthly, taking up to a max 3 years.
    No brainer.

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