This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. To find out more about cookies on this website and how to delete cookies, see our Cookie Policy.
Analytics

Tools which collect anonymous data to enable us to see how visitors use our site and how it performs. We use this to improve our products, services and user experience.

Essential

Tools that enable essential services and functionality, including identity verification, service continuity and site security.

Where Taxpayers and Advisers Meet

Telephones at NIC & EO temporarily out of order

etf
Posts:1278
Joined:Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:25 pm
Re: Telephones at NIC & EO temporarily out of order

Postby etf » Fri May 17, 2019 12:40 pm

Phone message is still stating the line is temporarily out of order/HMRC has still not updated booklet NI38 (Last updated 3 April 2015) despite being alerted to the outdated telephone number problem over 3 months ago.

etf
Posts:1278
Joined:Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:25 pm

Re: Telephones at NIC & EO temporarily out of order

Postby etf » Wed May 22, 2019 2:22 pm

The result of a FOI request covering the HMRC telephone number that nobody answers (seemingly for well over 12 months...my bold):

This telephone line was closed on 23 February 2018, prior to this, a ‘change of number’ announcement was played on this line from August 2016 to advise customers they needed to call the NI Helpline. The gov.uk and internal guidance refers customers to the new correct number, however the NI38 form embedded within gov.uk guidance is out of date. Work has been commissioned to update form NI38 starting 14 May 2019.

Regarding the second question; as the helpline has been ceased since 23 February 2018 and is no longer an active helpline, subsequent calls statistics are not available.


This may be a dull question, but why does the recorded message not advise the caller to ring the new number rather than state the 3506 number is temporarily out of order?

etf
Posts:1278
Joined:Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:25 pm

Re: Telephones at NIC & EO temporarily out of order

Postby etf » Fri Jul 26, 2019 9:55 am

I have copied below an extract from HMRC's NI38 publication which today still details the telephone number that nobody answers (since Feb 2018).

For NICs enquiries phone the NIC&EO International Caseworker
Helpline on 0300 200 3506


I've alerted HMRC of the above issue on a number of occasions highlighting that ringing a number that nobody answers is a frustrating occupation. Months later there is seemingly zero progress. I conclude they simply don't care about their "customers".

I've also chased a reply from HMRC to a letter that had been given a 13 week timeframe (whatever happened to the "we'll answer most post in 25 working days" promise ?). Their response, timeframes change and it is now 16 weeks.

Does anyone know someone who can give glockenspeil lessons so I can duet with that annoying player outside Parliament? Perhaps Blondie's "Hanging on the telephone" as our first tune.

etf
Posts:1278
Joined:Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:25 pm

Re: Telephones at NIC & EO temporarily out of order

Postby etf » Fri Jul 26, 2019 10:01 am

Sorry, spelling correction:Glockenspiel

etf
Posts:1278
Joined:Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:25 pm

Re: Telephones at NIC & EO temporarily out of order

Postby etf » Mon Sep 02, 2019 3:50 pm

Still showing the out of date telephone number in booklet NI38. HMRC appear to be giving the signal made famous by Harvey Smith (the show jumper) to their customers.

For NICs enquiries phone the NIC&EO International Caseworker
Helpline on 0300 200 3506

etf
Posts:1278
Joined:Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:25 pm

Re: Telephones at NIC & EO temporarily out of order

Postby etf » Fri Sep 13, 2019 2:05 pm

Still showing the telephone number in booklet NI38 that nobody will answer...for the last 18+months:

For NICs enquiries phone the NIC&EO International Caseworker
Helpline on 0300 200 3506


I think we'll need to raise the Harvey Smith salute to an HMRC Schocker....mohle...and remember this lack of customer care is worth a knighthood. At this rate Lidl and Aldi will be offering titles for 50p.

etf
Posts:1278
Joined:Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:25 pm

Re: Telephones at NIC & EO temporarily out of order

Postby etf » Sun Sep 29, 2019 11:19 am

HMRC has finally updated the telephone number in their NI38 publicationthat nobody answered for 19 months. No wonder a record of the number of people who wasted their time phoning this obselete number is not available because it would be hugely embarrassing for HMRC.

Hopefully it will not take HMRC a similar amount of time to update the following which cannot be correct because we know the telephone number has only just been changed in publication NI38:

Published 11 February 2013
Last updated 3 April 2015????????????????????????????

jason13
Posts:153
Joined:Mon Mar 28, 2011 2:02 pm

Re: Telephones at NIC & EO temporarily out of order

Postby jason13 » Wed Oct 09, 2019 7:21 am

Thanks for your persistence, etf!

robbob
Posts:3228
Joined:Wed Aug 06, 2008 4:01 pm

Re: Telephones at NIC & EO temporarily out of order

Postby robbob » Wed Oct 09, 2019 3:00 pm

more important issue - who won the competition prizemoney for estimated date of revision :)?

etf
Posts:1278
Joined:Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:25 pm

Re: Telephones at NIC & EO temporarily out of order

Postby etf » Wed Oct 09, 2019 5:25 pm

Thanks both for your feedback.

robbob, given the foresight shown in your 16 April post, I suspect you may have won the £170 million last night and therefore are no longer in need of the three imaginery pints that I owe you. I'm not even sure we can yet treat the bet as complete because according to HMRC no update has been made to the NI38 booklet since 3 April 2015. This is quite worrying because if you cannot trust HMRC's update dates, you might use information that is out of date without realising it.

Published 11 February 2013
Last updated 3 April 2015


The reign of Sir Jon is over, so let's hope things improve under Sir Jim. I'd import Judge Richard Thomas as an enforcer. You can imagine the red ink corrections that would result, but standards I'm sure would improve.


Return to “PAYE and Payroll Taxes, National Insurance, NICs”