Is anyone else getting completely spammed by HMRC telling them to do your tax return?

I must have had dozens of communications from them by post, text and email telling me that the deadline for filing my return is 31 Jan 2021. The sender address is legit and there’s no links etc to click, just a reminder.

I mean, I KNOW!

But every couple of days I’m getting another reminder. It’s not like it’s going to be remotely complex – I’m paid PAYE and don’t have any other form of income, but I’ve still got at least a month to do it – so why are they hassling me? The emails/text messages even say “if you’ve already done it, thanks” – so they are literally just spamming people. Grrr.

Yep. me too.

Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos gets a single Christmas Card

While it won’t help with the current one, you can ask not to have to complete self assessment if your affairs are simple. As they are if you are just payed PAYE.

https://community.hmrc.gov.uk/knowledgebase/article/KA-01125/en-us

I’ll smugly say that I did my return 30 days after the end of the tax year.

😎

If you’re PAYE with no other income for what reason are you completing a return? I’ve never filled a return in and never been asked to.

Yes.

Meanwhile I’ve been chasing on a regular basis since November last year to get them to correct a mistake… and it’s a mistake stopping me from paying them money! Impossible to get them to do anything.

If you’re PAYE with no other income for what reason are you completing a return? I’ve never filled a return in and never been asked to.

No idea. I did some freelance work (in addition to a salaried job) a few years back (5+) but didn’t really earn enough via that so they took me off self-assessment for a few years. I don’t do that any more but for a few years we went through the rigmarole of them telling me to do a return, me asking why and them saying ‘actually, you’re right, no need’.

I suspect it’s probably because we still have child benefit. I have repeatedly asked them to stop it but apparently it’s only my wife who can do it, and she’s tried on multiple occasions but has been unsuccessful each time.

I suspect it’s probably because we still have child benefit. I have repeatedly asked them to stop it but apparently it’s only my wife who can do it, and she’s tried on multiple occasions but has been unsuccessful each time.

If you (or someone in your household) claim child benefit and you earn over £50k taxable then you *will* have to complete a return, and give a portion of it back.

There’s no way round this.

If it’s over £60k you have to return it all.

However, there are advantages to doing this. If you lose your job you may get to keep some of the CB. You can’t however go back and claim it retrospectively.

Also the years while claiming CB count towards state pension contributions for you wife AIUI, even if she isn’t working/doesn’t earn enough to count the years.

If you’re bothered about that but don’t want to claim and return the money, you can claim a “zero rate CB” where you get the time counted but get ‘paid’ zero so have zero to repay.

Loads of reasons for PAYE staff to need to do a self assessment, If you earn over £100,000, claim child support, have untaxed income (rental property [including airbnb], investments, dividends, overseas income)
Have a go on https://www.gov.uk/check-if-you-need-tax­-return if you are concerned you may need to/ think you shouldn’t complete a SA

There’s no way round this.

*cough* pension contributions

*cough* pension contributions

That’s why I said 50k taxable.

If it’s pension contributions it’s not taxable.

Really though, I meant that in that situation there’s no way to avoid doing a return, not that you can’t avoid the tax/CB clawback

0300 200 3300 but be prepared for a long wait; alternatively, use webchat.

HMRC target known groups so I suspect they think you are in one. I am in a known tax underrecovering group but never get a reminder, in fact I do my return promptly and have to contact HMRC to check it is in.

I’m paye and have no other income. Was still asked to do a return! It was a 2 min job and no one could tell me why I have been asked.

*cough* pension contributions

I’m PAYE, but just drop them a letter each year with the relevant corrections eg Pension contributions, Gift Aid sum etc. They then correct my tax code for me. A lot easier than doing full Self Assessment; been doing it this way for the last 10 years.

I’ll smugly say that I did my return 30 days after the end of the tax year

I’m joining MOAB in the smug room.

However, there are advantages to doing this. If you lose your job you may get to keep some of the CB. You can’t however go back and claim it retrospectively.

We did last year, totally unexpected as we’d stopped getting it, I lost my job in June, wife reapplied for it in September / October I think, got it back dated to the start of the tax year so got just shy of a grand in November. Then got it monthly after that until I started my current job in April this year when we stopped it again.

I’m joining MOAB in the smug room.

I would like to point out, I’ve never seen the inside of the ‘tax return done the first day I could’ room….