Readers’ forum: Claim for compensation for stress?

Our client is an elderly lady who suffers from a heart condition and shouldn’t be subjected to stress especially when the fault lies clearly with HMRC.

Her tax return for the year ended 5 April 2022 was submitted electronically in November 2022 and we have the acknowledgment to prove it. To our surprise she received a fine of £100 in May 2023 for non submission. No explanation was offered so I called HMRC who said there was an error on the return which it claims gives HMRC the right to reject it. I asked for details of the error only to be told that the HMRC employee did not have the authority to tell me and I should write in. I pointed out that if it took say six months to get a reply further penalties would accrue. My client would also not get the...