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AIA

Issues with missing SA statements and blank payslips

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17th Jan 2008
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HMRC report that some SA Statements due to be sent to customers in December 2007 were not issued. They say that they are also aware that some of those customers have subsequently received one of the general payment reminders (SA309C) with a blank payment slip. They apologise for the inconvenience this may have caused you and/or your clients.

They have identified those customers who should have had an SA Statement and will be sending them an up to date Statement this week. All SA customers who sent their returns before 30 September 2007, or who filed their returns online, will already have a tax calculation. They will now also receive a Statement saying what they owe in time for the final payment date of 31 January 2008.

HMRC give this advice:
"The most up to date tax position can be seen by those customers registered to use the Self Assessment online service by selecting 'view your account' within the Self Assessment Main Menu page.

In the meantime if those customers affected wish to make a payment before the Statement is received we would like to draw their attention to the following:

* Customers can pay amounts due through their bank’s internet or telephone banking service or by Debit card over the internet. Further information on how to pay/telephone banking is available.
* If an SA309 reminder was issued in December 2007 customers can use the payslip attached to make payment where due.
* Payslips held from previous Statements issued within the last 12 months can also be used if necessary.

If customers still need a payslip before receiving their January Statement, they should telephone the appropriate Contact Centre. Our advisors will deal with requests for payslips as well as letting customers know the amount to be paid by 31 January 2008."

Comment: Some taxpayers alarmingly seem to take the view that a "nil" payslip indicates that they have no tax bill. Unfortunately for agents, it is not possible to know which of their clients if any have been affected.

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Replies (3)

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By pauljohnston
21st Jan 2008 17:40

Well Done Nicoholas
I could not agree with you more. It just needs to be a bit easier to access the information. Last time I looked one could not download a payslip though.

How many trees produced the Nov Statements that we scanned and will be shredded after 1 Feb.

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By alanscott
21st Jan 2008 18:08

Revenue Post Problems
I have found that there have been a number of cases where the Revenue allegedly sent out returns or notices to file in April but where the taxpayer has not received anything prior to the December "reminder" letters.
This included my own return.

Given that the on-line filing system is still slow and less than user-friendly it is difficult to get taxpayers themselves to use this route - and charging clients for wasted time due to the Revenue's lack of competance seems unfair.

Having a nasty suspicious mind I suspect that the failure to get these returns delivered has more to do with trying to force people to use their dodgy system than failures in the post.

This will become more of an issue next year with the tighter deadlines - it will be interesting to see if they are prepared to issue and receive paper returns after October in cases where they cannot prove delivery of any original return.

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By carnmores
18th Jan 2008 09:39

there is absolutely no excuse for practicioners
who have not registered for and / or do not use online services,.

I recommned that HMRC do away with paper statements entirely.

As stated before there is far more information re payment available from the online sysytem such as allocation of paymenst etc

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