Are they having a laugh?? That's when I'll need to be filing several Feb VAT returns. I suppose I have to assume it will be live on 7th so as not to be late. (And yes, if my clients were organised it would be filed before then, but...)
From my RSS agent feed:
HMRC Online Services will be unavailable from Saturday 2 April until 06.00 Wednesday 6 April to allow for IT upgrades. All services will be affected including Corporation Tax, Self Assessment, PAYE and VAT. Detailed information on timings will be confirmed.
Tracy
Replies (4)
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An inconvenience to manage
I read it that systems will be live again at 6am on the 6th April - so this gives two days to file returns that could not be filed online for the four previous days.
I can manage this, and will need to bear in mind "reasonable excuse" if HMRC has website has online filing issues on 6th & 7th April.
Main problem I see is with those who pay VAT online by debit card - *if* this facility is suspended then they'll either have to pay by expensive same-day payment on 6th or 7th April or pay earlier than 2nd April - bearing in mind that HMRC regard debit card payments as being made - for VAT purposes - 3 working days after making the payment; maybe clients could pay by 'phone in the intervening "no go" 2nd - 5th April period I wonder?
Timescale for paying VAT by debit card
I made a VAT payment by debit card recently and was told by the agent I spoke to that it would be traeted as a same day payment.
HMRC web page re: Bill Pay "3 working days"
Paying VAT by debit or credit card over the
internet: BillPay
If you have a debit or credit card issued by a UK card issuer, you can
pay your VAT over the internet using the BillPay service provided by
Santander Corporate Banking (formerly Alliance & Leicester
Commercial Bank).
Please note:
If you wish to pay by credit card a non-refundable transaction fee
of 1.25 percent will be added to the charge. Any charge of less
than £0.01 will be rounded up to a penny.
HMRC does not accept American Express or Diners Club cards.
You cannot pay surcharges, interest or penalties this way.
A BillPay payment takes three bank working days to reach HMRC.
Bank working days are Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays
Information you will need
To make a payment you will need your:
debit or credit card details
VAT registration number - this is made up of nine digits, for
HM Revenue & Customs: How to pay VAT Page 6 of 16