It haunts me
This Pachelbel thing is becoming a joke. I had to ring up about my National Insurance (tax) number the other day and was astonished by new levels of inefficiency in Government departments, and also by their fondness for Pachelbel's Canon. I had to ring three different numbers before getting through to the department I needed (although was assured each time that the next one REALLY would be it) and each time I was put on hold. You guessed it - my hold music was Pachelbel's Canon in D. Every time! Weirdly it seemed to start at the same point each time too. Note that these were three different phone numbers, they couldn't transfer me within departments - oh no! All user pays numbers too, no free call 0800 Inland Revenue here.
Anyway, as much as I love the Canon in D, the best bit of all came right at the end when I did get through to the department I needed. They informed me that yes I did have an allocated a National Isurance number and that my NI number card had been sent out to me in February (my interview to get it was last August so you can see why I was wondering where it had got to). Where did they send it I wondered, as it certainly hadn't arrived at our current address. In their great wisdom and efficiency they had sent it to my previous address - from 1994!!!Yes that's 1994, not 2004. TWELVE years ago! Interesting really. The guy I spoke to couldn't give me a reason for this decision, especially given that I had provided my current address at the interview. He also was unable to give me my NI number over the phone (well you know, I could be anyone and live anywhere), so I now have to make an appointment at the NI office (think of your local unemployment office only times 10 in unpleasantness as our local branch is in Soho) and request a replacement NI card. Because they sent mine to somewhere I hadn't lived in 12 years.
I just wonder how many repeats of Pachelbel's Canon I'll hear while on hold trying to make my new appointment.
Anyway, as much as I love the Canon in D, the best bit of all came right at the end when I did get through to the department I needed. They informed me that yes I did have an allocated a National Isurance number and that my NI number card had been sent out to me in February (my interview to get it was last August so you can see why I was wondering where it had got to). Where did they send it I wondered, as it certainly hadn't arrived at our current address. In their great wisdom and efficiency they had sent it to my previous address - from 1994!!!Yes that's 1994, not 2004. TWELVE years ago! Interesting really. The guy I spoke to couldn't give me a reason for this decision, especially given that I had provided my current address at the interview. He also was unable to give me my NI number over the phone (well you know, I could be anyone and live anywhere), so I now have to make an appointment at the NI office (think of your local unemployment office only times 10 in unpleasantness as our local branch is in Soho) and request a replacement NI card. Because they sent mine to somewhere I hadn't lived in 12 years.
I just wonder how many repeats of Pachelbel's Canon I'll hear while on hold trying to make my new appointment.
posted by Kiran McKinnon at 10:08 am
1 Comments:
what a useless bunch o cunts!
Not like nz where there are only 4 million people for the public service to administer. Here they data match you between departments and HUNT YOU DOWN, wherever you are... Maybe you're actually better off in Angle-terry.
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