Has anyone else experienced a scaling up in security checks when contacting HMRc about tax credits? We are providing the Intermediary form but when we call they are requiring us to answer all their security questions correctly as well. This includes full names (including middle names) of all children, DOB's, bank account details and payment frequency.

Should they be doing this? Isn't the form meant to be enough? If they shouldn't be doing this is their some guidance from HMRC about what the call centre should make available to advisers etc?

Any help would be appreciated.

Regards
Sue

We had this problem a couple of weeks ago - i refused to provide a clients bank details over the phone due to the security implications of this and so they would not speak to me.

It then took a number of phone calls and letters to HMRC only to get a reply that stated that this had been a mistake by the person i spoke to.

The person i spoke to was - apparently - an occassional phone answerer, (i know that's not a proper word!) somone who only answers the phone when they are very busy and he had misunderstood an e-mail.

The e-mail they'd had, had been about stepping up security checks but this should not apply to CABx and other agencies who have already submitted a TC 689.

I can only suggest that if it happens again you ask to speak to a Supervisor.

Regards

Nicky

"The person i spoke to was - apparently - an occassional phone answerer, (i know that's not a proper word!) somone who only answers the phone when they are very busy and he had misunderstood an e-mail".

Is that like the phantom cleaner who used to wander the corridors of the Benefits Agency carrying out reviews which were either a procedural or legal nonsense?

Staff training, whats that then?

Thanks for your reply, I don't seem to be getting my alerts about replies so it's taken me a while to check back.
Cheers
Sue

I had this same problem happen to me a couple of times when calling the helpline and once when calling the intermediaries line.

I raised the issue via the Tax Credit Consultation Group and they confirmed that the new security should not apply where a TC689 is in place for an intermediary.

If anyone has any further examples of this happening could you email me at [email protected] so that I can gather evidence that it is still a problem.

Victoria

We complained about this issue via our MP's office - we've had a reply this morning which apologises but says our incident was an isolated incident and so will be treated as a training issue.

Lets hope the "training" prevents us from having to jump through hoops.

The letter also states that we should not have been asked for the clients bank details over the telephone as part of a security check.

Thanks for clarifying this and as others have now said these are not isolated incidents are they? I will pass your email onto my colleagues and you will definately get some evidence and examples.

Thanks again.
Sue