Paphos Life

In 2024 HMRC charged me £20 tax on one of my pensions which was just under £3500 per annum.

I contacted HMRC and asked them why I was been taxed when my total income was only around £6000.00 a year (PAYE level was £12500).

The lady said yes I was entitled to a refund, so I gave her my uk bank details to pay it into my bank directly.

What happened next is beyond belief, they sent me a cheque for the refund all the way to Cyprus in Sterling.

when they had the information to pay it in to my uk account!

I contacted my brother and asked him if he could pay it into my uk account he said “no problem”

So I had to send the cheque back to the uk so it could be paid into my account, I still have a copy of the letter with the cheque attached.

No the wonder the UK is in such a mess.

Ive had the same problem 3 times

You have it lay it out on a plate for them and give them the full details of the bank you want the refund paid into if its not the bank where they normally send your pension. I've had three refunds which were automatically paid into the bank where my pension is normally paid into.

Hi

I have old sorts of issues with HMRC - I hasten to add things they have done that are plainly wrong. In late Autumn 2024 I rang HMRC and after being on hold for some 35 minutes spoke to a call handler. Discussed the problem and was told I would have to write in to them, which I did. Three months later chased them up on phone and yes they had received my letter. However they said it would be replied to in approx. 18 months from the receipt of the letter! Unbelievable. Rang them again a couple of months later, same answer. So should get reply in April 2026 , I hope. I have just read that HMRC have loaned Capita 150 staff to help sort out a pensions mess. HMRC should answer their backlog of mail before lending staff out.

It's not just HMRC, it's every official department here in broken Britain.

Last November, I was asked to return my driving licence for renewal, which I did immediately. After hearing nothing for a month or two, I rang DVLA to ask where my licence was, after waiting an age for my call to be answered, I was told that yes, they had received my licence, but as yet, it was still waiting to be actioned. Last week, I actually received my new licence, nearly five months in all, and yes, my licence had run out during that time.

Whether it is down to incompetence, lack of staff, lack of finance, I know not, but don't rely on anything here anymore. If you ever get to speak to someone who knows what's happening, you're very, very lucky

The whole civil service should be legally accountable and managed on the same lines as a commercial organisation, where they have to obey company rules, accountable financial management and customer relations or be fined and in some cases imprisoned. Senior & local civil servants should be legally responsible as are CEO's and FEO's. An awful lot will end up in jail. I'll put this to Nigel Farage.

clive of payia wrote: ↑Wed Mar 25, 2026 12:32 pm The whole civil service should be legally accountable and managed on the same lines as a commercial organisation, where they have to obey company rules, accountable financial management and customer relations or be fined and in some cases imprisoned. Senior & local civil servants should be legally responsible as are CEO's and FEO's. An awful lot will end up in jail. I'll put this to Nigel Farage.

Be carefully what you wusste for. When they privatised the German railway system, it went downhill. Steeply. Nowadays only 60% of long-range trains are punctual. Before privatisation its punctuality was proverbial.

Firefly wrote: ↑Wed Mar 25, 2026 11:15 am If you ever get to speak to someone who knows what's happening, you're very, very lucky

Agreed. What I do is to end the call, then ring again, and again and again, till I manage to reach a knowledgeable person. When you do, you can tell, immediately.

Hello Jeba. I wasnt suggesting privatising the civil service, work culture-wise many are unemployable in the private sector. I was promoting that they should work to the same rules/standards as the private sector.