HMRC's Blunder Leaves Pensioner Feeling Dead in the Water
For six years, Sarah has been living with a national insurance (NI) number that doesn't belong to her - a mistake made by HM Revenue & Customs when she first moved to the UK in 1991. Now, with her original number lost forever and a new one on its way, the stress of trying to clear up the mix-up is taking its toll.
Since 2015, Sarah has been searching for her NI number, only to be met with rejection at every turn. Despite hours spent on hold, letters sent, and visits made to HMRC offices, the tax authority has refused to acknowledge that it was an error in the first place. In a shocking twist, HMRC now insists that Sarah is dead - a claim she vehemently disputes.
"This is not just about my NI number," Sarah explains. "It's about modern identity. Losing control of this can lead to serious consequences, including identity theft and compromised pension status."
Sarah's plight raises questions about the failings of HMRC. How could it issue her with an incorrect number in 1991 without being detected? The answer, when it was finally given, came after a five-day phone call from Sarah. However, the explanation has done little to alleviate the stress and uncertainty she now faces.
The situation is urgent - Sarah needs to apply for her state pension forecast, but being told she's dead has left her feeling powerless. HMRC has offered a paltry £250 in compensation, advice that it may have missed out on benefits or liabilities with her soon-to-be three NI numbers.
Sarah's story highlights the need for greater accountability from HMRC and more robust procedures to prevent such mistakes. With its current service record, she is understandably skeptical about the success of the proposed solution - a new NI number that will eventually be merged with the two existing ones.
As one consumer champion noted, "This isn't just about Sarah's situation; it's about ensuring our personal data is protected and our tax records are accurate. HMRC needs to step up its game to avoid similar blunders in the future."
For six years, Sarah has been living with a national insurance (NI) number that doesn't belong to her - a mistake made by HM Revenue & Customs when she first moved to the UK in 1991. Now, with her original number lost forever and a new one on its way, the stress of trying to clear up the mix-up is taking its toll.
Since 2015, Sarah has been searching for her NI number, only to be met with rejection at every turn. Despite hours spent on hold, letters sent, and visits made to HMRC offices, the tax authority has refused to acknowledge that it was an error in the first place. In a shocking twist, HMRC now insists that Sarah is dead - a claim she vehemently disputes.
"This is not just about my NI number," Sarah explains. "It's about modern identity. Losing control of this can lead to serious consequences, including identity theft and compromised pension status."
Sarah's plight raises questions about the failings of HMRC. How could it issue her with an incorrect number in 1991 without being detected? The answer, when it was finally given, came after a five-day phone call from Sarah. However, the explanation has done little to alleviate the stress and uncertainty she now faces.
The situation is urgent - Sarah needs to apply for her state pension forecast, but being told she's dead has left her feeling powerless. HMRC has offered a paltry £250 in compensation, advice that it may have missed out on benefits or liabilities with her soon-to-be three NI numbers.
Sarah's story highlights the need for greater accountability from HMRC and more robust procedures to prevent such mistakes. With its current service record, she is understandably skeptical about the success of the proposed solution - a new NI number that will eventually be merged with the two existing ones.
As one consumer champion noted, "This isn't just about Sarah's situation; it's about ensuring our personal data is protected and our tax records are accurate. HMRC needs to step up its game to avoid similar blunders in the future."
I mean, think about it... Six years of trying to get this sorted out and you still get told you're dead? 
That's not just a mistake, that's a national embarrassment. And £250 in compensation? Come on, that's like throwing someone a bone while they're drowning. 
What's the point of even having an appeals process if it's just going to be ignored?
It's like they're not taking anything seriously.
. and what's with this "you're dead" thing? do they really think she's just gonna take that lying down? 
this is a total fail on HMRC's part and it's time for them to get their act together. we need better safeguards in place to prevent these kinds of mistakes from happening in the future 
HMRC made a huge mistake that's been affecting ppl for years now & still they dont wanna listen?! 
Sarah's situation is super stressful & I feel so bad for her. losing ur identity num is like losing control of ur life, right? 
and £250 in compensation is just not enough considering she's been dealing with this for 6 yrs already 
they need better processes & more accountability. I mean, how did they issue her with an incorrect number back in 1991 without catching it? 
but this whole situation should be a wake-up call for HMRC to get their act together 
. The fact that HMRC has refused to acknowledge their own mistake for six years, only to claim Sarah is dead, is just laughable 
. I mean, what kind of system allows this to happen? It's not just about the £250 they're offering as compensation, it's about the principle and the lack of trust in the tax authority 
.
. I mean, think about it, if Sarah's original NI number was lost forever, how many others might be living with incorrect information? It's time for HMRC to step up their game and take responsibility for these kinds of mistakes 
I mean, it's a real thing, people! Losing control over your identity is terrifying. We need better systems in place to prevent this kind of thing from happening again 
. It's not just about Sarah, it's about all of us who rely on accurate tax records and protected personal data 
.
. The fact that it took them five days to correct the error is just ridiculous 
. First, they make a mistake that affects someone's pension status, then they deny it and tell them they're dead... what's wrong with these people? 
anyway, back to HMRC... have you ever tried to sort out your taxes in the UK? it seems like they're still having some major issues 
omg like seriously how do u make a mistake that big and get away with it for 6 yrs?! 
. £250 in compensation tho? 
like what even is that supposed to do? give her a lifeline or something 
anyway, this whole thing makes me wanna question how much we trust our government's institutions 
gotta call out hmrc for their lack of accountability though 
gotta push for more accountability from hmrc 
and better data protection laws 
.
how can they mess up someone's ni number for 6 years and then tell them they're dead? 
it's like, what even is going on with these people? 
Time's running out for Sarah! 
Time to dig deeper, HMRC! 
