And Good Morning To You Too!

My late emergence into day was greeted with a communique from the Inland Revenue/ National Insurance Contributions Dept. They wished to inform me that for the Tax Year 2003 -2004 I had 34 NI contributions outstanding!

At least I was able to inform them that during those 34 weeks I was in an employment where, "My earnings were at or above ‘Lower Earnings Limit’ but below the ‘Earnings Threshold’ and, should therefore be treated as having paid Class 1 contributions."

When one has worked part-time in low paid employment, this is a familiar situation but, for all the supposed integration of Tax and National Insurance Departments and, their extortionately expensive computerised systems, such factors seem to elude them. This situation has, in the past, led to telephonic arguments with (un)civil servants failing to understand their own protocols. This time I felt it safer to reply by mail with the appropriate documentation.

Having dealt promptly with the matter, it will hopefully prevent any subsequent rises in my blood pressure!