In 2022, during the covid pandemic, Angela’s father died. In the same year, she went through a divorce and moved out on her own. Since then, she experiences depressive episodes. In 2024, she helped her sister recover from a stroke.
A hairdresser receiving Universal Credit, paying the rent and bills is difficult, sometimes impossible. Angela has suspected dyscalculia, which makes working with numbers difficult and sorting finances daunting.
In 2024 Angela got a tax bill for over £1,000, including late filing penalties. She had no way of paying it and no idea what to do.
Finding a lifeline at TaxAid.
Angela came to us through Citizen’s Advice. Our expert tax adviser worked through her case, for free, offering Angela a lifeline and a way out of potentially spiralling debt.
Our adviser discovered that Angela was self-employed in 2021/22, then worked under PAYE during her apprenticeship for the next two years, briefly returning to self-employment When HMRC didn’t receive tax returns from 2022 to 2024, they issued penalties.
She had no idea that she been accruing penalties for two years, while dealing with considerable personal trauma.
We’re here to get tax problems sorted.
We were here to untangle the problem. We helped her complete her missing tax returns and appeal the penalties.
HMRC waived the late filing penalties, leaving Angela with a £587 tax bill for the two missed years, to be managed through a payment plan.
After a challenging period, Angela was relieved to have her finances back on track and a clearer understanding of her taxes – ready to move forward with confidence.
“Wow, I cannot thank you enough for your help with this and the whole Tax Aid Team. It’s been a tough road trying to piece together this next stage of my life and getting my debts right really help me to feel less stressed and more confident I’m going forward” – Angela.
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