2009

Help with tax credit overpayments A new guide written for the man or woman in the street aimed at enabling them to challenge tax credit overpayments is published today. LITRG has written the guide to help claimants through the complexities of fighting a tax credits overpayment decision and to enable them to decide how to fight and how to find extra help. 10 December 2009
PBR - Chancellor tries to protect the low-paid Despite the economic woes of the country, in his Pre Budget Report the Chancellor today tried his best not to add to the burdens of those on low incomes. The good news was thin on the ground and the range of new help for people in trouble, although welcome, adds to complexity. 9 December 2009
Putting the Frontline First; but the vulnerable second? Yesterday the Government set about reducing the debt burden by announcing proposals for better and smarter public services. This has to be welcomed; but at what cost to the most vulnerable consumers of public services? 8 December 2009
Backdating of claims - another tax credits scandal? One of the most welcome features of the tax credit system is the facility to backdate entitlement by up to three months before the claim has been received by HMRC. However, many claimants may be missing out because of a failure by HMRC to operate the rules correctly. 7 December 2009
Government urged to use plain language A new report from the Public Administration Select Committee calls for all facets of government to say what they mean in a way you can understand. LITRG is not blameless in this respect, but it matters so much more when HMRC get it wrong. 1 December 2009
Telephoning HMRC? Keep a careful note When ringing HMRC, it is essential to keep a careful note of the date and time of the call, to whom you spoke, and what was said. Otherwise you may be at a disadvantage if you have to prove that you called HMRC in a later dispute. 29 November 2009
Death and taxes – what Government could do better The lives of bereaved people could be made a great deal easier if the different government agencies involved when someone dies were to share information and join up the services they offer, a new report from LITRG concludes. The Government has promised a solution but has yet to deliver in practice. 25 November 2009
Confess, before it is too late In an appearance on You Tube the Permanent Secretary for Tax gives a stark warning to those who may be hiding something overseas. But unhelpfully, HMRC and their website make it very difficult to find any information on overseas issues intelligible to the ordinary taxpayer. 22 November 2009
How equality conscious is HMRC? HMRC have been consulting on how they assess and monitor their compliance with the laws on equality and diversity. LITRG recommends that HMRC should do more to monitor their compliance and make it more relevant to customers and front-line staff. 18 November 2009
Tax relief on childcare vouchers to go - a blessing or a curse? Childcare vouchers have become front page news this week following the Government’s announcement that they plan to abolish tax relief on them. Tax relief on childcare vouchers may help high earners, but families on low to middle incomes are generally better off claiming tax credits. Yet there is precious little information to help people make the right choice. 13 November 2009
HMRC tackles the “lump” again – but who loses? HMRC have brought out proposals to crack down on ‘false self-employment’ in the construction industry. The people who could be put at a disadvantage by the proposals in the consultative document are not the contractors, nor the exchequer, but the low-paid, unrepresented worker. 30 October 2009
Some HMRC help in the postal dispute The deadline for filing paper tax returns for 2008-09 is 31 October 2009, otherwise a penalty is chargeable. But HMRC have said, in view of the postal strike, that paper returns hand-delivered on Monday 2 November will be accepted, as will returns held up in the post if it can be shown that they were posted before 31 October. 28 October 2009
1.5 million pensioners overpay tax The National Audit Office (NAO) today published a damning report on the performance of HMRC in assessing the 5.6 million older people who pay tax. They estimate that 1.5 million pensioners are overcharged by HMRC.This is no surprise to LITRG and we have written three reports in the last 12 years identifying all the causes. In that time HMRC have only paid lip service to correcting the fundamental faults in their service strategy. 23 October 2009
New HMRC powers to help overpayers? HMRC have recently consulted on whether their legal powers to require banks and similar institutions to hand over information about their depositors, and their accounts, should be extended. One of the advantages of doing so, say HMRC, is to ‘allow HMRC to target publicity and support where there is a risk tax has been overpaid’. LITRG is supportive if such powers are used sensibly. 21 October 2009
Bad start for HMRC’s push to increase tax credits take up HMRC are committed to increasing the take-up of Working Tax Credit (WTC) by 100,000 people and they have launched a publicity drive to raise awareness of entitlement. We very much welcome this initiative, so it is disappointing that the chosen method of publicity is likely to exclude many people who ought to be claiming. 16 October 2009
LITRG helps simplify tax for international students As international students start or continue their courses they can worry a little less about their tax position thanks to LITRG efforts over the last year. Such students bring significant economic benefits to the UK by way of tuition and other fees 14 October 2009
The slow death of the Enquiry Centre HMRC are starting a consultation with representative organisations to see whether hours of opening in HMRC Enquiry Centres could be reduced. Inevitably, that will mean more cuts in help for the vulnerable. It is now time for HMRC to admit they cannot cope with the demands placed upon them and to join with and fund the voluntary sector to do the job for them. 12 October 2009
Support for disabled people in independent living It is vital that disabled people should clearly understand the choices open to them. Enough funding must be provided to ensure adequate information, advice and support. That is the substance of LITRG’s response to the recent consultation by the Office for Disability Issues (ODI) on giving disabled people more control over the support they need to live their lives in the community (Right to Control). 8 October 2009
Tax credits disputes - a ray of hope Over the last few years, unacceptable delays, poorly written responses, wrong explanations and sometimes no reply at all have been common experiences for users of the tax credit dispute process. 25 September 2009
Tax evasion hotline HMRC have today launched a tax evasion internet hotline so that citizens may inform HMRC on the doubtful tax dealings of other citizens. For some years LITRG have been pressing for a citizen to be able to complain about the services of HMRC by sending a secure e-mail to HMRC. This has been said to be too difficult for HMRC to organise. Is now the time? 24 September 2009

[Admin]