Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
BarryW.
Re-your last sentence " I am not rich enough yet to avoid more thanks to that complex tax system we have"
Does that mean the richer you become, the more you can avoid?
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
Well Gary - the simple fact is that the wealthier you are the more mobile you are and the more choices you have. So yes that is quite right. We all have many tax saving opportunities available to us though and I would encourage everyone to make the most of them, after all the government just wastes our money and we know how to spend our own dosh better than any politician or civil servant.
This why I recommend lower, simple and flat taxes.
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,706
Of course it is a pain when ones computer dies but seriously asking for financial assistance is some sort of joke
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
looking down the thread it seems most people have seen the appeal as the spoof it was.
sorry barry i lied about sending you the 50 quid.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
My younger brother would like to appeal for some dosh, but not from forumites.
He has had continuing problems with the Working Tax Credits people for the last year and at the end of the discussions and letter-writing, they said it was O.K. he would not have to pay the WTC back (considering he was and still is, on basic pay and working six days a week for Saga, taking home about £800 a month, with his rent at just over £600, then his other bills (gas, electric, water, council tax, food, phone bill, petrol etc. etc. which he was quite relieved about.
He had a letter yesterday saying they were wrong last year and now he must pay back £2,400 by the end of October.
This is just plain silly - that is 3 months wages; the small amount of housing benefit and council tax help have all gone, so would he have to go to prison ?
He's not a benefit cheat, he wants to work, but at every step, he is getting shafted by this Government department.
What Ministers say and what their departments do, are two completely different things. To me, the people who work at these departments are worse than bloody useless - incompetance doesn't come near it.
It is really stressing him out and all the people at the WTC office say, is "not my problem".
Roger
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Their your party Roger you put them in power and you serve them you are on their council.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,888
Ross, clever wording #23, good one.
Roger, time for some C.A.B. advice looks like one hand does not know what the other is doing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Vic. the Government (any Government) Ministers have civil servants who make the decisions at the HMRC and DWP and it's those civil servants who are so useless.
Jan - I've recommended he contact either or both CAB or his MP (Damian Collins). He literally has no money and working as much as he can and these people keep sending out different messages; he'll have a break-down soon if he's not careful.
Roger
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
Roger, the only thing to do is relax.
So 'they' want all sorts of impossible sums, 'they' have no option but to make their demands. The system is one designed to accommodate the wishes of both sides in Parliament.
The people one speaks to, that may say "It's not my problem", are reporting a fact, coupled with an attitude of self-defence - 'they' each and all know how crazy it is, 'they' get exactly the same phone call your brother made all through their working day.
The one glimmer of hope in all of this is that your brother is by no means alone. See link below...
http://www.which.co.uk/money/tax/guides/tax-credits/tax-credit-overpayments/Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
P.S.
Roger, I have tried to have a look at the HMRC Code of practice and realized that you have to log-on to Which!, the link here gives the info direct. The second from bottom box on the list...
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/c11.htmIgnorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
Roger.
As I said previously, I know what your brother is going through, got the tee-shirt as they say.
His, is not an isolated problem; this is widespread and getting worse.
You're already worried about him having a possible breakdown; breakdowns can take on many forms, sometimes inwards, sometimes outwards.
Make no mistake, this is a serious issue that is only going to get worse, with the direction that this, and previous governments, have taken.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,888
For once I do not think this is governmental mistakes it is about bad management within HMRC, they are an inefficient bunch of muddlers with the power to ruin lives.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
Let us not lose sight of the sterling advice I give in #29
Roger, the only thing to do is relax.
Worrying or fretting play no part in finding a solution.
There is NO!!!! chance of anybody going to prison that accepts that they owe the money, (and there is little or no option but to accept it once any appeal has been denied), and that is willing to pay.
He will have to go through the motions, the challenge, the appeal etc. But, in the end ALL that can happen is that he pays £1 a week or less.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
Jan (et al),
No system is perfect, but one that pays up-front and is forced to accept no liability for it's own (error prone) decision making is bound to come down on the 'client'.
(not there was much resistance from the then Government) This situation is as it is as a result of insistence from the then Opposition in Parliament.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 643- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,321
Oh can't we just enjoy the peace while he's offline?
There's always a little truth behind every "Just kidding", a little emotion behind every "I don't care" and a little pain behind every "I'm ok".
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
OK, I have had a chance to look at the form TC846 and there appears to be a built-in buffer of 30 days. Where a previous arrangement and payment could go on for one month. This does not appear to be the matter here though.
Further...
On perusing Code of Practice, COP26. On page 11, Hardship there is a number to call 0845 302 1429.
I have looked for a cheaper alternative phone number. It is - 0345 300 3900
Remember!!! You are not alone.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 716- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 4,010
Unfortunately there are millions of people in difficulty on benefits and a `few`
have labelled them `skivers`.........
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
Not all of them, there are many, far too many lazy useless dossers making a career out of benefits.
Typical of you not to acknowledge the difference between those who are genuine and the others.
Guest 716- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 4,010
Difference between the two is the government figure of benefit cheats ( skivers )
is 0.7 %...a relatively tiny figure who should of course be stopped but the continuous
right wing propaganda has them all tarred with the same brush.
Government also regard Tax Avoidance being the moral equivalent of benefit cheats
( skivers )...............if the cap fits........
Guest 714- Registered: 14 Apr 2011
- Posts: 2,594
Reg, you claim 99.3% of benefit claims are genuine?
I'd question that, as would most people