HMRC has today issued this release about CAAT turnaround times.
Apparently, it takes 6 weeks to register and individual or partnership for self-assessment even when you do it online. To be able to submit tax returns by 31st January, the cut-off date for applications is said to be 20th December (as if anyone at HMRC will be working between then and 2nd January).
You have been warned!
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Warning for the already late
Anyone that has notifiable income should already have registered by now, let alone 20th December. Not that this excuses a ridiculous delay for handling registrations, especially online ones, but it should only affect the already tardy.
One wonders
if the tardiness of HMRC would be viewed as reasonable excuse by the FTT. I assume that HMRC would not
its pathetic
this is simply not good enough. why does it take so long whats the problem ? is there a huge backlog? how many taxpayers does one member of staff process per day we should be told
Yes, but ...
... there would be no penalty for failing to notify chargeability by 5th October if the tax return is submitted by 31st January.
Am I being cynical or is HMRC being tardy about SA registrations in order to maximise penalties?
Not long ago....
....I initiated one over the telephone. It took less than 10 days from beginning to end, i.e. activation of the service. However....
I agree (once again) with Stepurham's comments, but wonder what the tribunals will make of it in a situation where someone tries to register at the end of December but HMRC can't do it in time. Ignoring issues over failure-to-notify penalties and considering only those for late filing, I suspect (and would hope) that a tribunal would give HMRC short shrift and allow an appeal.
If the government (HMRC) sets a deadline and insists that the submission of a document is done electronically it must surely provide sufficient resources, no matter how inconvenient it is, to allow people to register in a reasonable amount of time - six weeks isn't reasonable in my view no matter how tardy the individual has been - two wrongs don't make a right!
6 Weeks is wrong
Did two last week took just under two weeks currently waiting on a further two done last week should be through any day now
What would be a disgrace if penalties are charged and an appeal has to go to FTT. Euan -you cynical - no more so than most of us here
by the way
if i get online authorisation for a CT client and enter the key and the client gets activated i would have expected the client to appear on my portal , but its nearly a week and no joy , am i correct and what to do ? is it a thumb twiddling exercise?
Government Gateway
You probably need to log on to the Government Gateway and assign the client to yourself. A ludicrous extra hoop to jump through but there you go. Login page can be accessed via the link below. Just click "Enter the Government Gateway" on that page to get it. (Can't link to it direct) You should be able to use your normal HMRC credentials to log in.
Last Minute
Would we have this problem if most people did not leave it until the last moment? It is always the case that there are many who put everything off until December.