Low morale' hits HM Revenue and Customs

[Clippy]

Example below of a recent interaction with HMRC.
IMHO, they have moved beyond incompetence into sheer laziness.

October 2009
Receive a letter from HMRC advising me there is a shortfall in my NI contributions for a particular year.
Within a week of receiving this letter, I make payment via telephone banking making sure I quote the relevant reference number so my payment can be allocated correctly.

November 2009
Receive a letter from HMRC advising me they have received a payment from me but don't know where to allocate the payment!
Within a week of receiving this letter, I write to HMRC and include their original letter to me advising them what my payment was for.

January 2010
I call HMRC to confirm they have received my letter and they have allocated my payment accordingly - I also request written confirmation of this. Was advised my letter has been received but payment has yet to be allocated.

February 2010
I call HMRC to confirm they have allocated my payment accordingly and to request written confirmation of this. Was advised my payment has yet to be allocated.
After highlighting that it has been 5 months since payment was sent was advised it would be allocated today and written confirmation sent to me thereafter - which it was. Was lucky in that the woman I spoke to was helpful (and very apologetic).

[Zippy]

If the poor little things are suffering from low morale maybe they should stop reading this forum?

[Moscow Mule]

Poor little mites.

[HairyArsedBloke]

Example below of a recent interaction with HMRC.

My total interactions with Hector in the last ten years can be illustrated with the following graphic:

Which makes me feel:

[ThomasSoerensen]

I have moved into a position where they pay me more than I pay them annually.

I see it as they are working off the total payments I have made to them in my adult life.

I plan to send them a card the day the net accumulated balance between me and them reaches 0.