There are times -- thankfully few -- when I do get a little down. Today is one of those days. One of those days where it seems the simplest things are insurmountably difficult; inanimate objects and time seem to be conspiring against you; and you end up in the wrong place (or the right place) at wrong time (or day).
I'm having that kind of day.
The kind of day the DEB likes to refer to as instances of "No Help Britain". Basically, something that should be simple isn't, and there seems to be a system in place whereby the red tape is more than six inches thick! And, you waste hours of your life, getting nowhere. I'm having that kind of day.
I've been offered a very nice lecturing gig in London next month, and to do it, I need to register myself as "Self Employed". Not a problem, I thought. I'll just pop on line and do that. Which I did. Only after going online and completing the application do I find that it will take up to 6 weeks (possibly longer, if strike action continues...) for my application for Self-Employed status to be processed.
The school that I'm doing the lecture for want verification of my self-employed status before they authorise payment for my services rendered. So, I phoned HM Revenue & Customs to see what could be done, and got a very friendly assistant called Tina. She promptly explained if I have applied over the phone -- instead of online -- my self-employed status could have been verified straightaway.
I wanted to say to her: "Why, thank you, Tina. That's information I really could have used before I applied online." But, I resisted. It wasn't her fault. However, that doesn't make it any less annoying! On the HM Revenue & Customs website all the information urges you to apply online, even when you phone them, they urge you to pursue your requests online. ARRGH!
Just seems that I keep running into brick walls like this, these days.
4 comments:
Hello
I have just come across your blog. As an alien in a foreign land, I can well understand many of your frustrations with coming to terms with the British way of doing things.
I am now your newest follower and look forward to receiving future postings.
Anna
I think if you are living in Britain, one needs to get used to always having some level of frustration going on.
I'm sorry this happened but thanks for blogging about it. I've made a note that when I get back home to the UK, I need to call to register as self-employed rather than doing it online. Every little tip helps.
Thanks for the tip! I may need to use it in the future. xo
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