TaxHelp  for  Older  People



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Regional Co-ordinators
and Trustees Area


 

 

 

Welcome

 Details of the personal allowances
for 2008/09 and  2009/10 are on our Frequently Asked Questions page.


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We are an independent free tax advice service for older people on low incomes who cannot afford to pay for professional advice.

   Do you worry about your tax affairs?

   Do you know if you are paying the right amount of tax?

   Are you afraid of approaching HM Revenue & Customs for help?

 

We may be able to help you. If your household income is less than £17,000 per year and you are a pensioner you will qualify for free tax advice from T.O.P

It doesn't matter where you live in the UK, we have a team of over 720 volunteers available and one probably lives near you. If we cannot arrange a face to face meeting, we will always offer advice by telephone or post.

T.O.P. - TaxHelp for Older People is a service originally provided through the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group (associated with the Chartered Institute of Taxation) but is now provided by Tax Volunteers, an independent organisation, to make free professional advice on personal tax available to older people who could not otherwise afford to pay for it.

If you have any queries, contact TOP on the helpline:

0845 601 3321

or

01308 488066

or write to: TaxHelp for Older People
Pineapple Business Park, Salway Ash, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 5DB

E-mail  taxvol@taxvol.org.uk

 

Errors on 2010/11 Coding Notices

HMRC have aknowledged that there are errors on the 2010/11 coding notices. If you believe that yours may be wrong contact HMRC on 0845 3000 627. If this does not resolve the problem or you would like an independant check please call TOP on  0845 601 3321 or 01308 488066.

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BEREAVEMENT & THE TAX SYSTEM

See the latest recommendations on the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group website

Or follow this link Bereavement & the Tax System

 

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Have you over paid your Tax?  Then read on

Tax Back  - Change in Deadlines 

This is the time to check if you are owed any tax. In the past you could claim back over paid tax going back for 6 years but from 2010 this is being changed to 4 years. We have listed the deadlines below. Please call our helpline if you would like us to check if you are eligible.

Year

Deadline for SA Taxpayers

Deadlines for PAYE Taxpayers

2003-04

31/01/2010

31/01/2010

2004-05

31/03/2010

31/01/2011

2005-06

05/04/2010

31/01/2012

2006-07

05/04/2011

31/03/2012

2007/08

05/04/2012

05/04/2012

2008/09

05/04/2013

05/04/2013

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Frauds and Scam emails (phishing)

HMRC wants to make sure you can recognise a fraudulent email if you receive one.  If you have received an email that you consider to be fraudulent, please forward it to HMRC at phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk. HMRC cannot reply to every email, but it does investigate and take such matters very seriously.

To help you spot a scam email, HMRC has compiled a list of key points to look out for:

  • Disclosing personal information - HMRC will never ask you to disclose personal information such as your PIN or your passwords, or your bank details. Never disclose this information to anyone.
  • The padlock - when you log in to HMRC Online Services you are always in a 'secure session' - which is shown by the padlock or an unbroken key in the bottom right hand corner of your web browser. The beginning of HMRC's address will change from 'http' to 'https' when a secure connection is made.
  • Your name - fraudulent emails are not normally addressed to you personally; they can have missing addressee details or contain something vague such as 'Dear valued customer'.
  • The sender - HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) was formed on 18th April 2005 following the merger of Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise departments. Those former departmental names no longer exist. Recent fraud attempts have used fake departmental names, and purported to be sent from HMRC Board Members.
  • Links within the email - the email may include a link that you are asked to follow to take you to a website. When a mouse hovers over a link it will often show the underlying URL.  If this is different to the one typed in the email do not click on it. Following the link could take you to a site that might look genuine but is most probably a fake, and merely clicking on the link could download malicious software to your computer systems.  Always check the site shown in the address bar and if you have any concerns at all, go in via the HMRC website at www.hmrc.gov.uk.

 What to do if you receive a scam email

 

HMRC would never contact you asking you to disclose personal information. If you have received an email requesting personal information or payment of tax, or suggesting that you are due a tax rebate, please take the following action:

  • do not click on any links included in the email;
  • send it to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk then delete it;
  • if you suspect that your security may have been compromised, run your anti-virus and anti-spyware software applications to check your hard drives for infections; and
  • review the advice featured on Get Safe Online (opens new window) on rectifying common online security problems.

TAXATION AT RETIREMENT HANDBOOK 09/10

Available Now

£5.00 each + POSTAGE (60p)

10 to 49 copies £4.00 each + postage

50 plus copies or charities £3.50 each + postage

This handbook has been produced by the charity TaxHelp for Older people (TOP) in collaboration with Life Academy, the pre-retirement specialist institute. Our aim is to anticipate and avert the tax problems which all to often beset people at retirement. It is not a complete guide to personal tax but focuses on the salient points around the time of retirement.

Orders can be placed via the helpline - please see details above

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For the latest news and general guidance on tax topics visit  the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group web site     www.litrg.org.uk

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If you have received a tax return for 2008/9, it must be submitted to HMRC by 31 October 2009 (Paper) or 31 January 2010 (Online)

Don't forget, you do not have to make a return unless one has been issued to you, unless you have an untaxed source of income of which HMRC is not aware (eg, started letting a property in 2008/9) or have made a large Capital Gain

Volunteers... please check membership pages for latest news......

LATEST NEWSLETTER - Jan 2010

Tax Volunteers is a company limited by guarantee, company no. 4894491
Registered office Artillery House, 11-19 Artillery Row, London, SW1P 1RT
Registered charity no. 1102276