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HMRC, switch on your 0345 numbers! (Read 166,436 times)
Dave
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Re: HMRC, switch on your 0345 numbers!
Reply #15 - Oct 8th, 2010 at 5:44pm
 
[quote author=Alwyn link=1284342717/0#14 date=1286555632]Excellent.  I've listened to the radio prog but it doesn't say where are they to be found for HMRC?  Do you just replace 0845 with 0345 followed by the rest of the number?[/quote]
It requires HMRC to bring the 0345 numbers into use.

But yes, all the numbers beginning with 0345 are set aside for the users of the respective 0845 numbers. For example, Cambridgeshire Constabulary moved from 0845 456 4564 to 0345 456 4564. So the Tax Credits helpline which is presently on 0845 300 3900 could become 0345 300 3900.
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SilentCallsVictim
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Re: HMRC, switch on your 0345 numbers!
Reply #16 - Oct 8th, 2010 at 6:02pm
 
Alwyn wrote on Oct 8th, 2010 at 5:33pm:
Excellent.  I've listened to the radio prog but it doesn't say where are they to be found for HMRC?  Do you just replace 0845 with 0345 followed by the rest of the number?

Yes, but ... when it happens. It is a wonderfully simple solution which we are campaigning to be adopted.

Once people come to understand that 03 numbers are charged in the same way as 01/02 numbers, this will be a very easy idea to follow.

If one major national organisation were to do this, then public pressure would make it very easy for others to be persuaded to follow.

A strong argument in favour of this idea is presented here - "Government wastes money by charging for public services".

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Re: HMRC, switch on your 0345 numbers!
Reply #17 - Jan 7th, 2011 at 12:10pm
 
Low Income Tax Reform Group is calling on HMRC to change its telephone policy which its says causes its most vulnerable users to bear a disproportionate cost:

http://www.litrg.org.uk/News/2011/telephone-call-charges%E2%80%93time-for-hmrc-t...

Quote:
For several years LITRG has been campaigning for HMRC to adopt a telephone policy which does not involve the most vulnerable of their customers in disproportionate cost. Now the telephone regulator, Ofcom, looks set to force public sector bodies to adopt policies that give protection to the poorest.
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Re: HMRC, switch on your 0345 numbers!
Reply #18 - Jan 8th, 2011 at 8:38am
 
Dave wrote on Jan 7th, 2011 at 12:10pm:
Low Income Tax Reform Group is calling on HMRC to change its telephone policy which its says causes its most vulnerable users to bear a disproportionate cost:

http://www.litrg.org.uk/News/2011/telephone-call-charges%E2%80%93time-for-hmrc-t...

Quote:
For several years LITRG has been campaigning for HMRC to adopt a telephone policy which does not involve the most vulnerable of their customers in disproportionate cost. Now the telephone regulator, Ofcom, looks set to force public sector bodies to adopt policies that give protection to the poorest.


If you're into irony, the litrg website's contact us page contains a classic:

Quote:
We like to hear from you

But we cannot always promise to enter into correspondence with you, due to our limited resources.

If you are a pensioner and you would prefer to speak to someone regarding your query you can phone the TaxHelp for Older People helpline on
0845 601 3321


When the helpline is not manned, leave your name and number and someone will call you back.
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« Last Edit: Jan 8th, 2011 at 8:44am by Heinz »  

After years of ignoring govt. guidelines & RIPPING OFF Council Tax payers using 0845 numbers, Essex County Council changed to 0345 numbers on 2 November 2015
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Re: HMRC, switch on your 0345 numbers!
Reply #19 - Jan 8th, 2011 at 10:52am
 
Heinz wrote on Jan 8th, 2011 at 8:38am:
If you're into irony, the litrg website's contact us page contains a classic:

This looks (and is) very foolish.

In fact, T.O.P. publishes a geo number (01308 488066) on their website - http://www.taxvol.org.uk/. Older people with BT lines who have not got wise to the fact that they probably should be subscribing to the Anytime Call Plan would (for now) call more cheaply on the 0845 number.

LITRG also promotes another advice service - TaxAid and quotes its Old 0845 number. Last October, Taxaid migrated to the equivalent 0345 number.

I would suggest that the helplines in question are probably doing the right thing (for now - 0845s will have to go altogether once BT is allowed to charge for them properly). The errors and omissions on the LITRG website do however need to be corrected.
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HMRC will be switching on one of its 0345 numbers
Reply #20 - Oct 22nd, 2011 at 9:47pm
 
I can't quite believe this!

It was announced in a written Parliamentary question on Wednesday that HMRC will be activating the counterpart 0345 number for the Tax Credits Helpline: 0345 300 3900. This number currently rings and is answered with a message saying that the number dialled is not yet in service.

Whilst I don't see alternatives as a long-term solution, this is nonetheless a first step in the right direction. DWP has yet to catch on.

Let us hope that this is warmly received and that it spurs HMRC on to swap all its 0845 numbers for 03 ones.

Suffice to say that SAYNOTO0870.COM will help spread the word of the new number.
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« Last Edit: Oct 22nd, 2011 at 9:47pm by Dave »  
 
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Re: HMRC, switch on your 0345 numbers!
Reply #21 - Oct 22nd, 2011 at 9:58pm
 
One other quick thing.

A FOI response says that UK geographic numbers published for overseas calls do in fact go through to the same teams as the Business Rate premium 0845 numbers.

This is (hopefully) soon to be immaterial now if the 0345 numbers are activated.
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HMRC has switched on 0345 number for Tax Credits
Reply #22 - Dec 12th, 2011 at 8:38pm
 
HMRC has finally switched on the 0345 alternative to its Tax Credits Helpline. The alternative 0345 300 9300 can be used instead of 0845 300 9300.

This is a first step. There are quite a few other 0845 helplines that are operated by HMRC that don't have 0345 counterparts. DWP and its agency JobCentre Plus continue to only make available Business Rate 0845 numbers.
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Re: HMRC has switched on 0345 number for Tax Credits
Reply #23 - Dec 13th, 2011 at 6:01pm
 
Dave wrote on Dec 12th, 2011 at 8:38pm:
HMRC has finally switched on the 0345 alternative to its Tax Credits Helpline. The alternative 0345 300 9300 can be used instead of 0845 300 9300.


http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/tc-new-number.htm
Quote:
The exact cost of calling this number can be checked by calling your telephone service provider.


What an annoying statement when they could have made it absolutely clear. Especially annoying if you have to use a business rate number to contact your telephone service provider!
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Re: HMRC has switched on 0345 number for Tax Credits
Reply #24 - Dec 13th, 2011 at 6:24pm
 
kasg wrote on Dec 13th, 2011 at 6:01pm:
Dave wrote on Dec 12th, 2011 at 8:38pm:
HMRC has finally switched on the 0345 alternative to its Tax Credits Helpline. The alternative 0345 300 9300 can be used instead of 0845 300 9300.


http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/tc-new-number.htm
Quote:
The exact cost of calling this number can be checked by calling your telephone service provider.


What an annoying statement when they could have made it absolutely clear. Especially annoying if you have to use a business rate number to contact your telephone service provider!

Indeed. It really should say that calls cost no more than the price of a geographic call and will form part of inclusive minutes where applicable. These rules apply to landlines, mobiles and payphones.
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Re: HMRC has switched on 0345 number for Tax Credits
Reply #25 - Dec 18th, 2011 at 9:57am
 
Dave wrote on Dec 13th, 2011 at 6:24pm:
Indeed. It really should say that calls cost no more than the price of a geographic call and will form part of inclusive minutes where applicable. These rules apply to landlines, mobiles and payphones.

No, It really should say that calls cost exactly the same as a geographic call and will form part of inclusive minutes where applicable.  These rules apply to landlines, mobiles and payphones.
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After years of ignoring govt. guidelines & RIPPING OFF Council Tax payers using 0845 numbers, Essex County Council changed to 0345 numbers on 2 November 2015
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Re: HMRC, switch on your 0345 numbers!
Reply #26 - Dec 18th, 2011 at 4:26pm
 
It is very anoying when I read such statements, these are government departments and as such they should ensure that all statements are politically correct.

How can they deliver a correct service if they can't even adhere to rules and regulations from one of the government departments
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Re: HMRC, switch on your 0345 numbers!
Reply #27 - Dec 18th, 2011 at 4:51pm
 
If we are looking to get anal on this, there is a wide difference between what may be factually accurate (which usually admits a very wide range of possibilities), what is helpful to readers (who are likely to be labouring under misapprehensions), what is politic (failure to refer to the cost of calling 0845 numbers as compared with that of calling 0345) and political correctness (avoiding offence to minorities, such as those who can call 0845 numbers more cheaply than 0345).

Dave was actually correct, as the Ofcom regulation does cover the possibility that there could be different rates for calling various types of geographic numbers. There is no single geographic rate by regulation and although it is very rare for their to be separate rates for local calls, it is not unknown and not prohibited.

Where there is a cheaper rate for local calls, this does not have to be applied to calls to 03 numbers. When Talk Talk recently offered local calls only as inclusive - this offer has now been withdrawn, it was however persuaded to add 03 to the definition of what is "local", for everybody.
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« Last Edit: Dec 18th, 2011 at 4:52pm by SilentCallsVictim »  
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Re: HMRC, switch on your 0345 numbers! Worse NOW!!
Reply #28 - Feb 2nd, 2012 at 11:25am
 
Well - we are over a year on and not only are hter no 0345 numbers, but if you use an alternative 01/02 number an automated voice comes in announcing you haven't called from abroad and cuts you off

Scandalous!!

T
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Re: HMRC, switch on your 0345 numbers! Worse NOW!!
Reply #29 - Feb 2nd, 2012 at 11:29am
 
daguerrotype wrote on Feb 2nd, 2012 at 11:25am:
Well - we are over a year on and not only are hter no 0345 numbers, but if you use an alternative 01/02 number an automated voice comes in announcing you haven't called from abroad and cuts you off

Scandalous!!

T

The Tax Credits Helpline can be contacted on 0345 300 3900. This is the only 0345 number that has been activated (apart from the equivalent textphone number that is).

Which alternative have you used as it would be helpful to know?
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