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VAT do you mean?
"Online filing of VAT returns has been the weakest area in the Carter programme”
oh why’s that Malc?
ANS: because it’s fiendishly difficult to register for onslime VAT,
if only it was as simple as CT where ALL u need is the reg number and the CT ref to register.
Even VAT occifers acknowledge it's their stupid system but no one fixes it.
Progressively delivered – not so
Carter report (http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2006/carter-review.pdf) paragraph 22 on page 6:
“HMRC should continue to work with Companies House to provide a joint filing facility by 2010.” This would have been useful for agents - so what happened to it? I contributed to the original Carter report, and afterwards pointed out that the main problem with this proposal was that usually full accounts and detailed P&Ls were filed at HMRC, but only abbreviated accounts (no P&L) at CH – that was back in 2006. I understand that HMRC only became aware of this in 2009! I offered a solution – CT online requires specific attachments for accounts and computations – well why not have a HMRC accounts and a CH accounts attachments – that way both can be filed through HMRC – HMRC would pass on just the CH accounts.
And whilst on the subject of CT online
I feel HMRC is attempting too much with the introduction of iXBRL with compulsory CT filing. I’ve been efiling CT for several years so am used to attaching accounts etc, but many people are only used to individuals/partnerships and therefore not used to attachments. I feel HMRC should have continued the existing PDF option after 01/04/11 and give users a year before making iXBRL compulsory. Incidentally, the move to iXBRL may backfire. At the moment we tend to file detailed P&L. But the feedback I’m receiving from software developers is that because of the complexities of the tagging process, the detailed P&L may be dropped so that the accounts filed with HMRC will only contain the statutory P&L. So HMRC may end up receiving less information than they currently do.
Let’s make it a hat trick – CIS. PAYE and service status
HMRC has been very selective with online services introduced. Take CIS. Prior to New CIS, HMRC were happy to provide agents with captured vouchers lists for subbies, but since the introduction of New CIS HMRC have refused. Ironically, we submitted all our old CIS returns on paper, but submit all New CIS electronically – so HMRC has the New CIS data in digital format therefore could enable agents access through online services – but HMRC refuses to consider this, saying that subbies should retain tax vouchers – but at the same time as introducing New CIS HMRC scrapped the CIS25 which all subbies had got used to – and HMRC replaced it with nothing! Another service agents have been asking for is the ability to see how HMRC have allocated employer’s PAYE payments. It would save us having to write to the Collector and request printouts (the Collector won’t respond to verbal requests) – come on HMRC – making CIS captured vouchers and PAYE payments available online would save you time because us agents wouldn’t have to contact you as often.
And here’s another gripe – HMRC’s website doesn’t report unplanned downtime – online services was playing up this morning – HMRC’s website said all services were running normally – I phoned online services helpdesk – I couldn’t get through for some time because of the volume of calls – when I did get through I was told that HMRC were aware of the problem and were snowed under with the volume of calls – so why have incorrect information on the website – come on HMRC – if you’ve got a problem with your services then put a message on your website – don’t say that it’s all working!
CT Online
I have filed online for a few companies for a number of years using HMRC software. When I tried to do it this year the system had radically changed and the suggested Adobe changes were so complex that I have reverted to paper CT600's. As next year online filing is mandatory I can only hope HMRC significantly improve their system.
MJOB