Lisa Sachs

Hi - up until last year I was a foster carer with my local authority. I have now left that role but I still needed to put in my Self Assessment for 21/22. I filled in the form on my own (we don't get any help with this) but inadvertently forgot to press the SUBMIT button and so the assessment was filed a week or so late. I have been fined £100 and I've also been advised that I have an outstanding balance of £165.87 from 21/22 (which I think is voluntary contrib?). The whole self assessment statement that I have been sent isn't clear. I've tried and tried to get through to HMRC - to the point that I've almost been in tears - I've been left on hold for 45 plus minutes on about 4 or 5 occasions only to be cut off. It's so frustrating! I then wrote a letter and posted it "Signed for" but Royal Mail haven't confirmed that its ever arrived and so today I'm sending another letter .... The point is as foster carers we are not supposed to pay tax - I certainly earned well under the tax threshold whilst a foster carer. Now I apparently owe HMRC £265?! I just want to speak to someone for advise - it's been the most frustrating thing ever trying to get through. I really don't know what to do - I can't hang on the phone all day as I work full time in a school. Any advice from anyone please? I'm worried that they will now start charging me interest.