Contacting HMRC about Payroll – 5 Top Tips

Need to discuss your payroll with HMRC?

Here are our top 5 tips to help!

 1. Are you the qualified contact?  You will need to prove to HMRC that you are authorised to speak on behalf of your organisation. Make sure you have your company PAYE reference number, tax office address, business address and any documentation your are calling them about to hand.

2. Not the employee? Sorry can’t discuss it! As an employer, you can discuss your organisation’s PAYE scheme with the HMRC – but you cannot inquire on behalf of an employee. Specific employer questions regarding incorrect tax codes, coding notices or changes to personal circumstances is strictly confidential. Advise your employee to contact HMRC direct.

3. Note taking is imperative! With call answering targets as low as 80% in less than 5 minutes – HMRC are notoriously unresponsive and you are unlikely to speak to the same person twice. Taking notes, especially dates and times, instructions, advice given etc is important and do make sure the person you are talking to is also logging the reason for your call and their advice. It’s all too common to ring HMRC a week later to find there isn’t any reference to the hour wasted in a call queue and proceeding conversation.

4. HMRC is not big brother! Despite the volume of public money HMRC has invested in their systems, including the HMRC Basic PAYE Tools – remember it is a behemoth of a database! Ineffective communication between departments, incorrect calculations and lack of access to centralised data across its modules are common complaints.

5. Don’t get angry – make a coffee! Quick to chase and slow to respond – HMRC contact can waste hours of your time. But, if you are well prepared and cleared your desk for the afternoon – use it as time-out in your busy day.

If your tax code is wrong

Cox & Co’s systems are directly updated by HMRC. If your tax code is wrong, as an employee you will need to contact HMRC straight away so they can correct it.

HMRC will need to know your tax reference and National Insurance number. Look for these numbers on your payslips, P60 or Coding Notice.  Your employer will have their Tax Reference number on their PAYE Remittance advice.

Contacting HMRC

Taxes Helpline – 0845 300 0627
Please have your National Insurance number with you when you phone
Opening hours
8.00 am to 8.00 pm, Monday to Friday
8.00 am to 4.00 pm Saturday

For customers who are deaf or hearing or speech impaired: 0845 302 1408 (Textphone)

For further help contacting HMRC, advice on HMRC Employer Database or understanding the payroll calendar contact: www.payrollsolutionsltd.co.uk

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