Closure of PAYE scheme

Closure of PAYE scheme

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Took on a new payroll at the beginning of the year and everything is running fine until the client received a demand under a different Accounts Office reference.  Simple conclusion - a duplicate scheme.

Rang the Employers helpline and managed to speak to a very pleasant member of HMRC staff within 10 minutes (a feat in itself) who confirmed it looked like a duplicate record thus estimated charges had been applied as there hadn't been any RTI submissions.  She said it was a simple case of closing one scheme down but admitted that she was embarrassed to tell me that it would take until October due to the backlog and there was no way to suppress the issue of further demands. I would have to ring DMB to explain who would be able to put a hold on further collection until later in the year.  Is HMRC actually fit for purpose? 

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Euan's picture
By Euan MacLennan
29th May 2015 10:45

Doesn't sound right

It may well be taking several months to deal with appeals against incorrectly imposed specified charges, but why don't you now submit an EPS under the duplicate PAYE reference to say that no payments have been made, that it is the final submission for the tax year and that the PAYE scheme ceased today.  If nothing else, it will give you incontrovertible evidence against any further specified charges which may be raised.

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By SoL
29th May 2015 13:57

Sounds about right ....

Similar situation with a scheme closed in Nov 2014 with a final FPS/EPS filed. Since then I've had numerous "late filing" email notifications and more recently chasers for "specified charges".

Initially I was calling the Employers "helpline" on a monthly basis and wrote in twice to try and get it resolved. The "helpline" staff acknowledge there is a closure flag on the scheme but it's not an automated process so it requires human intervention which is currently running over 6 months behind. The advice was to basically ignore all the warning emails and debt chasers which is easier said than done with some clients.

HMRC service levels seem to be deteriorating every month in the inefficiency and lack of joined up thinking.

 

 

 

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