Emergency Tax in the UK?

Question

I am paying way too much tax, it's been going on for nearly a year, my boss is a bit useless, and I haven't kept all my payslips. How can I get my money back?

I called the inland revenue and they said that they did not know I was working because my company hasn't sent in a P46 form.

Answer 1

You need to get a PAYE code, your payroll department should be able to handle it. If your payroll dept. is your boss then you have a problem, make it your bosse's problem. Point out that while they are not doing their job you are losing money.

If you haven't got all your payslips you can get a statement of earnings (P60). I'd recommend keeping all your payslips, bank statements and bills in a filing cabinet at home. You might need that information at a later date. Lock the cabinet though to prevent identity theft.

If you are throwing out payslips STOP, you are throwing out information that an identity thief could easily use. I have had a number of attempts to get into my bank account after my bin bag was stolen. I shred everything that I throw out now.

Answer 2

Actually the inland revenue will not do this automatically. If you are a PAYE person (pay as you earn) it is your employers responsibility to collect tax and your responsibility to check it is correct. If you are a "self-assessment" person, you will get a form anyway after April and you fill in every detail about all your pay and expenses, then the Tax man does a calculation for you.

The best way is to contact your tax office, explain you situation and they will give you a Tax code. Each company is registered at a tax office and they trace your code. The reason that you are an "Emergency" is that your company is not obliged to guess how much you owe or not, so they tax you on everything to be sure.

If your code changes your PAYE (at work) mechanism should balance things up thereafter; however you may have to claim the rest back.

The bonus for you is that you will get money back if you have paid too much!

But patience and tolerance of the Tax system will save you a headache or two along the line. Been there, done that, got a T-Shirt!

Email if you like!

Answer 3

Get in touch with the Inland Revenue (your local tax office). They should have records of all the tax you have been paying and where you have been/are employed.

Do you have your P60s? as these are your end of year certificates and tell you how much tax you have paid each year.
emergency tax is something like 40% of your wage and this usually happens when the tax office have not recieved your p45 from your employer (which you should have given your boss when you started your job). The p45 gives details of how you are to be taxed and if they have not recieved it they will not have the details.

So get in contact with them and if necessary write a letter. It's possible they may contact your employer if necessary and when the problem is eventualy sorted they will be able to re-imburse you any monies you have over paid. Don't worry they should be able to help you. If you still have your p45/s from any previous jobs you may need to send these off to your tax office but speak to someone first.

Answer 4

Contact the Inland Revenue direct. It may take until the end of the tax year but they will issue you a lower tax code so you can get back what is owed to you or they may keep you on the standard code and reimburse you by cheque.

When you get a tax code notification your employer should also get one for you. If your employer fails to change your tax code for payment purposes once this has been received, you should report this to the Inland Revenue.

Hope this helps, good luck x

Answer 5

Did you keep your P60, the pink form you got probably at the end of March/April? If you did, then you don't need your payslips at all, as the P60 is an end-of-tax-year total of all the money you earned and the tax, NI and pension you paid. If you didn't, the Inland Revenue should be able to sort it out by contacting your employer.

Tip for the future - always keep the last year's payslips, and ALL the P60s you ever get.

Answer 6

Tax Code Brx

Answer 7

For last tax year (ended on 5th April 2006) you need to fill in an Annual Return (tax form), they can be downloaded from the Customs and Excise website. You'll need your P60 to fill it in. When you have completed it it is sent to your tax office.

Your Boss should have given you a P60 by the 22nd May and if he hasn't you need to get in touch with your local tax office asap.

For the current year you need to give your employer a P46 if you haven't already given him a P45. He should have given you the P46 but you can get them from your local tax office anyway. Keep a copy so you can prove it is NOT your fault.

Good luck.

Answer 8

Your last payslip has all the info you need, as does your employer's records. Contact your local tax office and make a Tax Rebate claim. They'll send you a cheque.

Answer 9

i am having the same problem you have to fone your tax office number its on your wage slip they send you a cheque for the last working year and then they put it back in your wages from this working year. dont worry your tax code should be 5053l to make sure you earn more your tax code should not be BRX or BR that is emergency tax like you say.!x

Answer 10

Speak to your local inland revenue office and query your tax code. You will have to work with them and you payroll office to get on the right tax code. The inland revenue will automatically refund money when your tax code has been sorted.