Delays hit HMRC account statements
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More information from HMRC
On Friday afternoon, 22 July, I received the following useful information to pass on to AccountingWEB members :
"Due to a higher than anticipated number of SA statements to be issued this year we will not be able to issue paper self assessment tax statements to all customers during the normal July period for issue. The majority will have been sent on time. "
"No-one needs to worry about this and we will be sending out the statements to remaining customers soon. People will have 30 days from receipt of the statement to pay. As long as they do that, no interest will follow.
On line customers will be able to check what's due over the internet and pay via the internet too. "
"We are sorry if anyone experiences any inconvenience and we will let you have an update by the end of next week."
Well if that isn't a sensible and pragmatic way of dealing with the problem then I don't know what is!
SA Statements
Yes Rebecca - "Sensible and Pragmatic" but should it have been necessary in the first place?
Why did HMRC not know how many Statements they needed to issue? Did they sneak up on them from behind at the last minute and go "BOOO"?
Statements of account
How can HMR&C say there was an unexpected increase in payments on account - the first instalments paid last January should have indicated exctly how many there would be in July?
HMRC payments on account statements
i have thought for some time it would be useful for agents to have the facility to print lists of clients and payments due on a particular date (probably also UTR and addresses) from HMRC site, which would aid checking, entering to internal software, telephone query answering and mailshotting at this busy time, particularly as payments coincide with holiday seasons. Is this beyond the capabilities of the system, if so given the costs in developing the HMRC system, why?.
Post Office payments
We have already sent form SA361 to several clients, but this does not assist those who choose to pay in the Post Office. This year they will have to find some other means of payment, and if that is by mailing a cheque they are fast running out of time.
In addition, it would be helpful if form SA361 could be saved with the relevant data for a client, so that we can email an accurate payslip for them to make their payment. A blank SA361 is better than nothing, but one we can complete and pass on by email would give us the opportunity of providing a complete resolution by return.
SA361
We are also receiving calls from clients still waiting for payslips. There are several mentions here of SA361 which we have used in the past but can no longer find on HMRC website. Any suggestions on how to search other than using SA361. Thanks in advance.
Seems they may have run out of paper...
...according to The Daily Telegraph.
The suggestion in their article is uncorroborated, but that doesn't mean to say it's untrue.
HMRC's spokesman told me he would look into the background to try and identify what happened. I haven't heard back from him, but will mention the paper supply issue when he does.
HMRC delay
When they do issue them I wonder when they will be sent out
I received a letter on 25 July 2011 from BP4009 issued on 29 June 2011 in response to our letter to them of 6 May 2011. Slightly better I received another letter on the same day from BP4009 issued on 5 July 2011 in response to our letter of 17 May 2011
But when is it received
But what is going on with the documents it posts? Last week, I had three reminders for VAT returns for periods ended 30 June, they were dated 23 June but arrived 18 and 19 July.
On 13 July I received several assessments on interest paid to overseas persons dated 28 June 2011. Evidently the Inspector knew what was going on because the due date reads for 11 August. How can an organisation producing that amount of time sensitive post have arrangements that only give a limited chance of it arriving before expiry of the sensitivity.
HMRC guidance states that postal delays can only be considered ‘reasonable excuse’ in the most extreme circumstances. The failure to put the forms in the post is unreasonable and simply inefficient. Does systemic incompetence consitute extreme circumstances? If it does, how can it be competent to oversee a working together arrangement when it is incapable of folding paper, putting it in envelopes franking and posting it? If it cannot meet its own, not very high standards, what right does it have to expect more from us; perhaps it is trying to drag us down to its level.