HMRC 'won't stop' sending penalty notices to brain-damaged man who has no earnings

HMRC has come under fire after it "won't stop" sending penalty notices to a brain-damaged Brit who communicates by blinking and has no earnings. Writing into the Financial Mail on Sunday, Mrs J.E. spoke out over her ordeal and her son's suffering.

She typed: "My son Christopher suffered a cardiac arrest in 2021. He was without oxygen for a time, causing brain injury. HM Revenue & Customs are chasing him for self-assessment tax returns. In despair, I wrote twice in 2022, advising them of his brain injury and his inability to complete a tax return. He was not living with me in 2021, and I believe he had been claiming benefits."

Tony Hetherington replied: "You wrote to the taxman in 2022, explaining your son Chris's brain damage and his inability to complete a tax return. The Revenue simply returned your letter, insisting his tax affairs could only be discussed with him. Since then, HMRC has demanded increasing penalty payments from Chris for failing to submit a tax return.

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"By the time you contacted me, penalty demands had risen to £300. You told the Revenue that your son is a full-time care home resident. Its response was to start sending demands to him at the home." The publication contacted HMRC and reports "less than 48 hours later" the taxman made contact with the mum.

It said: "Incredibly, it turns out that instead of facing penalties, Chris is actually owed a tax refund of £396." Mrs J.E said: "I want to say a huge thank you, as there is absolutely no way I would ever have got to this point with HMRC on my own, without your involvement."

You can appeal to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) against a penalty, for example for an inaccurate return, sending in your tax return late, paying tax late and also failing to keep adequate records.