With the 31 January deadline drawing ever closer, HMRC has been outlining the additional support it is laying on this year and changes to be mindful of when it comes to Self-Assessment filing.
- Improved enquiry/call handling – HMRC has indicated it’s significantly increased the number of people in its telephone support team and is now answering calls in an average of 5-10 minutes. To also help people complete their tax returns on time, HMRC’s opening hours will be extended towards the end of January (including opening on Sunday 31st). It is providing guidance on online too through web chat (available 24/7), webinars and guidance via its YouTube channel.
- Email reminders – HMRC is currently sending reminder emails to unrepresented Self-Assessment customers instead of paper reminders. However, all customers who submitted their return by the end of December were given the option of receiving a paper statement and payslip. Those who file after this date will now need to choose one of HMRC’s other payment options explained on gov.uk.
- The online Personal Tax Account – Unrepresented, non-business Self-Assessment customers are now able to access their online Personal Tax Account when they log in to complete their Self-Assessment return. The Your Tax Account remains in place for Self-Assessment customers who are self-employed or pay business taxes. There’s more information on these digital accounts on gov.uk and HMRC is currently working on making this service available for agents to use by next year. For 2016, however, HMRC is warning agents not try to access their clients’ Personal Tax Accounts using their login and passwords, as added security means you will not be able to do so.
- Security – HMRC has been keen to stress it is taking the security of its customers’ data extremely seriously as it introduces the new digital services. Access to Personal Tax Accounts, for instance, is through a new, secure ID verification process. HMRC has strict rules on the emails it sends directly to customers about their personal or business tax affairs, to protect them against phishing by fraudsters. This means that an HMRC email to customers about their personal tax or tax credits will never include or ask for personal or financial information of any sort, such as a customer’s full address, full postcode, Unique Tax Reference (UTR), or any bank details.
And don’t forget, as the days march on towards the 31st of January, BTCSoftware’s SA Solution enables agents to file unlimited Individual Tax Returns (SA100), Partnership Tax Returns (SA800) and Trust Tax Returns (SA900) online. It is easy to use with an intuitive layout and fully integrates with HMRC. Priced at £475 + VAT for an annual single licence – this permits access by up to 10 concurrent users. Full terms and conditions can be found on our website
For more information, contact the BTCSoftware Team on tel 0800 612 7650 or test out the software with this free trial.
