NatWest online banking not "HMRC friendly" - any others better ?

NatWest online banking not "HMRC friendly" -...

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I have used NatWest online banking for a number of years, and it used to be a relatively straightforward matter to have a payee reference attached which was the PAYE reference code, then add a date code on the end.

With the advent of the security card reader for validating changes to online banking settings, this was rendered impractical due to the need to use the card reader plus card a) to change the payee reference to include the date code then b) to make the first (and only!) payment using the changed reference.

A recent letter from HMRC has asked for the date code to be added to the reference code again, but despite having talked to the bank on several occasions, they assert that adding the facility to add (say) a date code to a fixed payee reference without requiring the card reader, would "compromise security".

My proposals have been to keep existing security measures, but to designate (with card reader!) certain payees as having a date code or other fixed-format suffix attached to a fixed reference number prefix, already set up with card reader.

When making a payment you would select the payee as usual, but then add the date suffix using one or two drop down lists.

Hence the only "security breach" would be for the "hacker" to mis-attribute a payment to a different month.

Does anyone have an online banking service that gives better facilities in this area ? Or do you all have wonderful online systems that do such payment coding by another means ?

(My other persistent gripe is that you can't have two payees with the same account number but different payee references)

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Euan's picture
By Euan MacLennan
22nd Nov 2010 13:19

Why not pay by DD?

The money only gets debited to your (client's) account on (the last working day up to) the 22nd - rather than having to send it two days earlier so that funds clear by the 22nd - and you enter the date code and amount through the HMRC Online Services DD screen.

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By carnmores
22nd Nov 2010 13:50

well the new LLoyds gizmo for online banking is with us

what a load of old rubbish

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By David Richards
22nd Nov 2010 18:55

Do you need a date code?

You only need a date code if you're paying 'out of sequence'. If you don't add a date code onto the end of your accounts office reference, then HMRC will assume that the payment is for the current month/quarter

So you only need to enter a date code if you're paying late (or early).

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