Content
More of the same?
Around the world
Hot tips
Inside out?
Sweet sacrifice
Simple trust
Done and dusted?
Open immediately
File under E
An Inspector calls
CO still OK
Open for business
High PHI
Arctic chills
Duty calls
Pensions
Fuelling around
WIP round
Win some, lose some
Take it and go?
Party talk
Work less, earn less
Making adjustments
|
The Revenue want more people to file their returns over the internet. A few years ago, they started e-filing of the main self-assessment return with a £10 incentive payment - and were surprised to find that almost no-one took them up on it. This year, small businesses have been offered £250 to file their end-of-year PAYE returns in the same way - and the Revenue have been overwhelmed by the response. It seems that they did not work out early enough that it is quite easy to file a "nil" return, and there were people who split up their PAYE schemes artificially in order to put in 40 returns and get £10,000. The rules were only changed to prevent this at the last minute. Large businesses - with over 250 employees - have had to file electronically this year. Medium-sized businesses - with over 50 - will have to do so next year. Small businesses have longer before they must, and the incentive payment is to encourage them to come in early. You can get up to £825 if you joined this year and file electronically every year until compulsion starts in 2010. Some people will have held back this year, sticking with the familiar paper forms and waiting to see if it all goes horribly wrong. In fact, the Revenue's system is not too hard to operate, although there have been some teething problems with connection to the secure filing "gateway". Overall, it seems to work. If you want to discuss your PAYE system, we will be pleased to advise you.  |