In December, my neighbour was notified by HM Revenue and Customs that she was entitled to a rebate of £324 for the tax year 2020/2021, and that a cheque was being sent to a firm called Calculate My PPI, a claims company she used several years ago. Calculate My PPI denies receiving the cheque and HMRC is saying that it can’t, or won’t, do anything to help. She can’t even ascertain whether the cheque has been cashed or not. She had initially approached the claims firm to see if she was entitled to compensation for mis-sold PPI, since she struggles to use a computer. It now appears the company has, unbeknownst to her, retained a control over her tax affairs. There must be many others who have used third-party PPI claims firms, potentially in the same boat.
CHY, Bristol
In January, I warned about online firms that offer to reclaim overpaid tax on behalf of customers for an enormous fee, and trap them in an ongoing contract.
