News Release - 25 June 2001
If you are an older person on a low or modest income, and live in or near Wolverhampton, you can now get free help with your tax affairs from local tax
professionals.
TaxHelp for Older People, or TOP, is a scheme run jointly by the Chartered Institute of Taxation, the main professional body for tax advisers, and Age Concern in Wolverhampton. It is funded by the Nuffield Foundation and the Chartered Institute, and supported by the Inland Revenue. The volunteers are members of the Wolverhampton Society of Chartered Accountants, whose member firms have contributed to the project.
The scheme has been running since the beginning of April, and already we have been able to help a great many older people with their tax worries. They have all
found that their visit to the TOP adviser was worth their while, whether because they were enabled to claim tax refunds which they did not realise they were
entitled to, or simply because their minds were put at rest about something that was worrying them.
Are you getting what you should from the taxman?
Try asking yourselves some questions.
•You have a tax code from the Inland Revenue for the year 2001/2002. Do you know if it is right? (Many are wrong each year.)
•You and your husband or wife are separate individuals for tax purposes. Are you both making full use of your personal allowances?
•You may have two or three different pensions, including the State Retirement Pension. Is the right amount of tax taken from each one?
•If you are not sure, do you realise you could be overpaying tax or, worse, underpaying and have to pay large sums in arrears?
•Do you know whether you should be claiming a refund of overpaid tax and, if so, how to go about it?
•Did you receive a self-assessment form? Do you know why? Do you think on your modest income you should be filling one in?
•You have a bit of overseas pension. Do you know what is different about its tax status?
•You bought an annuity with some redundancy money. At what rate should it be taxed?
•Do you understand the dividend tax credit on your windfall shares?
•When you telephoned the tax office, did you understand properly what they said?
These and many similar questions are the sort of issues which TOP can help you with, and it is entirely free of charge.
The sessions are run at Age Concern Wolverhampton in the town centre on Tuesday afternoons. If you would like a free tax “health check”, ring Wendy Lewis
on 01902 572081 for an appointment.
It doesn’t matter how minor the problem is – if you are in the least worried or are in any way unsure about your tax, call Wendy for an appointment.
25 June 2001
Press Enquiries to:Gerry Walsh Tel: 01902 572062
(Chief Executive, Age Concern)
Robin Williamson Tel: 01280 821187
(Co-ordinator, LITRG)
John Andrews Tel: 020 7235 9381 (0900-1730)
(Chairman, LITRG)
Bianca Marsden Tel: 020 7235 9381 (0900-1730)
(Head of Technical Department)
This press release and all CIOT public submissions can be viewed on the Institute’s website at http://www.tax.org.uk.
NOTE FOR EDITORS:
The Low Incomes Tax Reform Group (LITRG) has campaigned widely in Parliament and in the national and professional press to simplify the tax system, which is notoriously complicated for older people on low incomes. It has scored successes and brought about some important changes in the three years of its existence. It is also supported by funding from the Nuffield Foundation.
The Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) is the leading professional body in the UK concerned solely with taxation. It was established in 1930 and received its Royal Charter in 1994. The CIOT’s primary purpose is to promote education in and the study of the
administration and practice of taxation. Members of the CIOT have the practising title of ‘Chartered Tax Adviser’.
12 Upper Belgrave Street
London SW1X 8BB
Tel: 020 7235 9381
Fax: 020 7838 9958
