HMRC systems downed by upgrades

The benefits and tax systems are suffering lengthy downtime for upgrade work this week and over the weekend. Our tipster says some of the work hasn't gone very well, specifically in relation to changes to Cisco gear. Callers to HMRC offices are being advised to try again next week as a result. "HMRC have planned upgrades to …

[Anonymous Coward]

I'll bet....

I'll bet my recently posted tax return gets FUBARD \ lost because of this and I'll also bet the one system that isn't affected is the one that auto sends out threataning letters to people when HMRC hasn't processed their tax returns in time.

Not that I don't have complete faith in the system or anything.

[PaulWizard]

Tax doesn't have to be taxing

And neither do extensive upgrades, but they bloody well are aren't they!! Think I will get Moira Stewart to give them a call and patronisingly tell them how simple upgrades are.

[Greg J Preece]

Great month to pick

Gee, when should we do the massive IT upgrade guys? The month with the tax deadline in it? GOOD IDEA!

[Mike Hanna]

Down for about a week

I had to speak to them on Wednesday cos they sent me a death threat asking for either thousands of pounds as a "voluntary payment", which apparently isn't voluntary at all, or call them to sort some other solution. I assume for that solution I can barter between my kneecaps or my first-born child. Anywho, the fella on the other end had no script to work from, asked me what the problem was, told me he couldn't help and suggested I call back after Tuesday when the systems should be back up and working.

Does everyone that works for HMRC get a week off work?

[Andy Brown]

Tea time :)

Nope - they all get to man the phones for a week to explain how they can't do anything with the system down. Between tea breaks, of course.

[Anonymous Coward]

That'll Teach The Blighters

Surely no relationship between the EU promising to come down heavy on the banking industry in recent days and HMRC finding it's systems blown apart? Have similar things happened in France, Germany and elsewhere?

EDS haven't been playing away at HMRC have they?

[Anonymous Coward]

IT staff gone?

Is this because the Tories terminated the all the IT contractors and other highly qualifiedly IT staff have left for better conditions.

[Ted Treen]

Yup, spot on!

Everything nasty is the fault of those wicked Tories:

Everything from the boil on my bum to global warming.

Now if only we'd left those wonderful Labour chappies in power, we would have no debt, no financial crisis, HMRC would be incredibly efficient, caring, compassionate and understanding. and all would be peace & love throughout the entire country, planet, and (probably) the universe...

[Camilla Smythe]

"specifically in relation to changes to Cisco gear"...

... What, isn't the new Huawei gear up to the job?

http://www.huawei.com/products/datacomm/catalog.do?id=3597

[Anonymous Coward]

Sitting the right way round on a toilet seat....

In my past experience, even sitting the right way round on the toilet seat is not something i'd trust the inland revenue to do unsupervised.

Never give them originals of any document, never give them the benefit of doubt, never trust a member of staff that what they are telling you is true. Only ever give information in writing, never on the phone. Always make sure you can prove what you submitted, and when you did it.

I'm sure that some people in the HMRC are honest people, doing a difficult job with inadequately spec'ed IT systems - but as i havn't paid any bribes to have these people manage my tax affairs I always end up the other sort. I used to think they were just incompetent, but after a couple of events where i could prove that the person on the phone was blatently lying to me in the belief that i would not be able to prove otherwise, i know they employ some staff that are truly lying dishonest scum.

A/C as i am not dead yet, and so still have to pay taxes.

[kaneda]

Ahhhh

HMRC; the heart of criminality in the UK.