Business angered by HMRC exemption silence
Companies with fewer than five employees given a year’s exemption for electronically filing annual employers’ return, but claim they were not informed
The taxman stands accused of “keeping small businesses in the dark” after
failing to tell them of their one-year exemption from e-filing
their annual
employers’ return, according
to
the Telegraph.
HMRC announcements make no reference to the concession, instead stating that
all businesses must file returns electronically this month, with paper filing
attracting a penalty.
However, protests from hairdressers and other small businesses without
computer access forced HMRC to admit to the Telegraph that businesses with five
or fewer employees would not need to file the information online until next
year.
HMRC referred callers to Income Tax (Pay as You Earn) (Amendment No 2)
Regulations 2009 but the Telegraph found no mention of the dispensation in the
documents.
When pressed further, HMRC told the newspaper: “There is no specific
exemption for employers with five or less employees.
“However, for this year only, if an employer with five or less employees
sends their return to us on paper, rather than send them a penalty notice, we
will instead write to them to remind them of their obligations and explain where
they can find further help and guidance.”