If you have been waiting for, and then relied on, HMRC’s i-form service you are likely to have encountered problems and delays.
HMRC has now said that it will accept problems with the i-form (P11D, P11D(b), and P9D which are all part of the same i-form release) and that these will be treated as ‘reasonable excuse’ if reliance on the i-form results in delays in filing.
HMRC says:
‘While we have no power to extend filing deadlines, we accept that the delay in issuing the i-forms on this occasion is a reasonable excuse for employers who would have filed using the i-form on time but were prevented from doing so and file by 4th August 2013.
‘Employers who have been held up by the i-form problems should submit their forms by 4th August. If they do this but are issued with a penalty they should write to the address below and explain that they would have filed on time but were prevented from doing so by the problems with the i-form.
‘Provided we are satisfied with this, the penalties will then be cancelled. We do not recommend that employers contact us before they have successfully filed their forms, and we will not be able to cancel the penalties over the phone.’
The contact address is:
Customer Operations Employer Office
BP4009
Chillingham House
Benton Park View
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE98 1ZZ
Article contributed by ACCA