HMRC performance team message
15 November 2021
The CIPP works closely with HMRC to discuss feedback from members regarding what is working well but also where improvements can be made in relation to payroll processes. Over time, a strong working relationship has been formed and HMRC frequently asks the CIPP to communicate on its behalf to members.
HMRC’s performance team has sent out messaging to stakeholders for them to circulate more widely, which will also be posted to the Agent Online forum.
The message from HMRC is as follows:
“Like most service organisations – even those without additional services to deliver like the Government COVID support schemes and Brexit – we’ve spent the past few months recovering and rebalancing our services as society and the economy begins to normalise.
We are working through the stocks of post that built up over the past year, as we prioritised delivery of the government’s COVID-19 support packages and the UK’s smooth transition from the European Union alongside the essential services that keep the tax system running. We are now beginning to see steady reductions in most of these stocks, and these reductions will continue in the coming weeks.
We understand the frustrations of customers and agents who are waiting for us to get to their individual enquiry, and we are sorry that we can’t get to everyone more quickly. In addressing our work queues, we’ve been prioritising our efforts where we can protect livelihoods and put money in the pockets of our customer groups in greatest need.
Unique Tax References
We are on track to have cleared all outstanding SA Registration requests next month, in good time for the SA deadline at the end of January.
Customers would have received a much quicker (10 day) service if they applied themselves online.
For customers who notified HMRC prior to 5 October, submit their return and submit a payment within 3 months and 7 days from the date the registration was completed by HMRC, there will be no penalty and therefore no easement is required. If a customer failed to notify HMRC of their liability by 5 October, they will continue to receive 3 months 7 days to submit their return, however the payment date remains as 31 January. Therefore, a payment penalty would only be due where the customer failed to notify in time and fails to make a payment by 31 January.
Improvements
We are working closely with the agent community and their representative bodies to improve some of our delivery methods for the future, making them as effective as we can for agents and individuals alike. As part of this, we are testing developments to our ‘where’s my reply’ tool so agents and customers can get a better idea of when their enquiry will be dealt with, and we are developing digital services to handle P87 and PPI tax claims in future.”
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