Another case of getting a CIS card?
I wish they'd wrap the things in big warning notices saying what they mean you have to do.
Anyhow. You're not going to like me for saying this...
[devil's advocate mode]
You have a problem here in that the tax bill was legally correct at the time they got the judgement. They haven't agreed that they got it wrong at all. They had to estimate the bill because you did a runner without telling the office you were registered as self employed with that you changed address. They had no idea what you were earning, but fairly estimated what you might be earning based on their experience of the typical earnings of people in your trade that don't bother to fill in their tax returns. When they filed the claim they told the court that these were estimates, and it accepted them as such. This is a necessary processand is recognised by law as such. The tax system cannot operate if people can not pay any tax merely by not submitting a return.
On the basis of new information that has come to light since (you contacting them) they have made amendments to their calculations that have had the effect of reducing amount of the judgement debt outstanding.
Accordingly I ask the honourable court to dismiss dave1509's application.
[/devil''s advocate]
I know everything you are about to yell at me... you don't need to say it.
?s
Did they get the CCJ at your old address? This puts you in a better position, as courts are generally quite good about wanting to have a fair hearing rather than judgements in default that nobody knew about. If you did know about the proceedings but were incredulous and didn't think they'd actually do it and were going to do the tax returns, that's a bit of a problem.
The bad news is that the Revenue are likely to pitch up at any set aside hearing and say pretty much exactly what I did.
The good / bad news mixed together is that they are less (ie very un-)likely to do this if you agree to pay the costs on condition they don't oppose the application. Of course the abilty of the judge to exercise discretion is a big problem... he might just not like you.
Otherwise you can not pay the costs, take a punt and see what happens. The odds would be against you, but of course the judge might decide he likes you...
The Evil Revenue Empire Strikes Back!!!! 
