Do you need help with HMRC debt?
Having HMRC on your doorstep is never a comfortable situation but there is help out there. No matter what stage you are at with the Revenue, there is always an option to sort issues out but the sooner you react and seek help with HMRC debt, the better.
Tax arrears plays an ever increasing part in today’s larger debt problems across the UK. With many banks and lenders offering large overdrafts and extended credit facilities for more individuals and businesses than ever, it’s perhaps not difficult to see why.
According to Government statistics, there are 5,200,000 small to medium enterprises operating in the UK, employing some 25,200,000 people – How much does owing the ‘taxman’ affect these businesses?
Whether you are a small or large enterprise, business can suffer as cash flow can be massively affected when in debt, especially when owing HMRC. This can lead to bankruptcy and even business closures.
The worse thing to do is ignore this matter and not seek help with HMRC debt. Your situation may not be as bad as you think but as always, time is of the essence – Seek advice from your accountant/business advisor or a 3rd party as soon as possible. If you don’t act, you increase the risk of legal action being taken against you and your business.
There are companies out there who can help you such as Tax Debts Help and Advice.
HMRC have taken to sending collection agents out to companies to push for results face to face.
They will threaten that they can take goods and assets!
They will talk to any employee they come across!
They won’t care about confidentiality and I speak from experience!
Who is there to help with HMRC debt though? There are an abundance of companies who will seek to offer advice and assistance and in most instances, they will be Insolvency Companies – But you don’t always need an Insolvency option to help keep the business on track.
There are companies out there who can help with HMRC debt such as Tax Debts Help and Advice. For over two decades now, we have specialised in getting monthly arrangements set up with HMRC for our clients. Helping them tackle the debt at an affordable level each month, whilst being able to cater for upcoming liabilities – We are here to help with HMRC debt and are always available for a friendly chat.
Plenty of press articles have been wrote about the tactics used by HMRC and the debt collection agents that represent them.
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3389720/HMRC-worse-private-debt-collectors.html
HMRC is ‘worse than private debt collectors’: Taxman rated bottom of list of Whitehall departments and private companies that chase money.
HMRC ranked bottom in list of private firms and government departments that chase debts for it’s ‘shocking’ treatment of people who owe tax.
Citizens Advice found it even failed to meet standards set by regulators.
Poor practices highlighted in the report included the taxman taking money directly from people’s bank accounts.
A study by Citizens Advice found it even failed to meet standards set by government regulators for private collection agencies.
Poor practices by her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs highlighted in the report included the taxman taking money from people’s bank accounts while the amount owed was still being disputed, staff being ‘rarely or never available’ on the phone to discuss issues and being inflexible of repayment.
The report showed the result of analysis of debt collection practises by more than 250 debt specialists who rated agencies against seven factors, including how they resolved disputes and set affordable repayment plans and how easy they were to contact.
It gave HMRC a score of just 34 out of 100 – Ranking it below phone operators, banks and private debt collectors for poor treatment of customers.
The report raised particular concerns about how difficult it was for people to get through to HMRC, adding it could have ‘dire consequences’ as -unlike private firms- it can seize wages and assets without a court order.
Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said “Of course people must repay government debts as soon as they can, but there is a difference between people who can’t pay and won’t pay. Our evidence shows glaring inconsistencies in how some government departments and private companies go about recovering money. It’s unacceptable that government agencies are behind the standards set for private companies when recovering debt.”
James Daley, of consumer campaign group Fairer Finance, said “It is shocking that a government department has got such poor standards. On something as sensitive as debt collection, government and HMRC should be leading the way and settings the highest standards. It undermines the government’s ability to ask private companies to do better.”
And Chas Roy-Chowdhury, of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, said “People can inadvertently owe tax or be fined for filing late and this becomes a debt. Public sector debt seems to be handled in a very heavy-handed way.”
HMRC’s own charter outlines what it expects from you and the standard they should be delivering
What you can expect from us:
• Respect you
• Help and support you to get things right
• Treat you as honest
• Treat you even-handedly
• Be professional and act with integrity
• Tackle people who deliberately break the rules and challenge those who bend the rules
• Protect your information and respect your privacy
• Accept that someone else can represent you
• Do all we can to keep the cost of dealing with you as low as possible
We recognise that you might be concerned about how we deal with you.
We will:
• Treat you with courtesy and consideration
• Listen to your concerns
• Answer your questions in a way you understand
• Try to understand your circumstances
• Make you aware of your rights, including your right to appeal our decisions
• Tell you how to exercise your right to appeal our decisions
It would appear that from the above that HMRC are not adhering to the standards, them themselves have outlined, for their own treatment of tax payers and business.
If you do end up owing HMRC and can’t pay this in full and on time – Seek help as soon as possible.
Please feel free to contact us for help with HMRC debt, if you would like further advice on this matter. We are a very friendly and understanding company so visit our website www.taxdebtshelpandadvice.com and start a live chat or call a member of our team 0800 448 0293.
