Editha

I'm just wondering whether any other returning ex-pats have had this problem:

I'm trying to submit a tax return for OH, which will declare his foreign (Canadian) income for the tax year 14/15.

Whether you file online or by post, you have to quote a 'unique tax reference' which is a 10 digit number. You can apply for your unique tax reference online, but when I do so, it tells me that OH already has one. It tells me that I have one too.

I've gone through our correspondence with HMRC for the last few years and can't find any unique tax reference for either of us. OH has had several tax codings in the last year, and none of them quote the number.

I tried ringing the Inland Revenue a few weeks ago, and was put on hold for 40 minutes before I gave up.

I've decided that I'm going to send in the tax return by post with a covering letter explaining why I can't provide the number. I can't think of what else to do.

Pulaski

Do you have a local Inland Revenue office? If such things still exist (they used to, I don’t know if they still do) you could pay them a visit.

Otherwise, I think writing may be the best idea, but I wouldn't include the tax return, because there is a good chance it will end up in a pile of unassigned correspond that might not be ckeared for months, if ever.

Editha

Thanks. Actually, the problem has been solved. OH found his UTR, last quoted on a letter from HMRC in 2008! Thank heaven's for his hoarding tendency; I don't keep my correspondence for more than 5 years. It will be a headache tracing my UTR when I need it, but fortunately I don't need to file a return for 14/15.

Novocastrian

Isn't a UTR only needed for self-employed people?

Editha

It is also needed to declare foreign income. OH has a pension from Canada and his CPP. He'd have to declare his royalties as well, so he'd need a UTC anyway.

scot47

Inland Revenue public offices were great. They have been closed for some years. You are now forced to phone someone and wait in a queue for ages. Progress is an illusion. Or maybe we are just going backwards.

Novocastrian

OK thanks. Then I guess I'll need one too. But I've never been in that position before nor have I ever been self-employed in the UK.

Has your OH? If not, how does he already have a UTR?

Editha

I'm not sure how long he has had a UTR, but he has been getting book royalties for decades, which are classed as self-employed income.

Novocastrian

Aha. Now I understand. Thanks.