HMRC Aaaaarrrrgggghhhhh

[KatyMac]

I have an employee on Maternity leave

It runs over 2 tax years

I claimed the money for the last tax ear without any problems; indeed it was efficient, hassle free and painless

I claimed the money for this tax year; I was told I would receive it first week of April - no problem

I will not get it until mid may; I must pay my employee this week. I have no money to pay her

I owe the HMRC the end of last years NI & Tax due tomorrow (it's 20% of what they owe me); but I cannot keep this money to (part) pay my employee, if I don't pay it on time I will be fined

I will have to take out a loan to meet my obligations as an employer - how unfair is that?

That really sucks (sorry). I do not think the work 'fair' features in their vocabulary. Can you call and see if they can speed the payment up?

mid-may is speeded up

I am devestated

Try the HMRC business payment support service, they will possibly let you make an arrangement to pay late or in instalments depending on your circumstances. see here

I can, I have spoken to them; but I could still get fined (they will let me know when they decide)

but, SMP is "recovered" from HMRC by reducing the PAYE & NI deductions you pay over, you only claim it back if you don't pay over enough to deduct it from - is this the case?

ah, it is the fact it is split over 2 tax years that is the problem?
Presumably you can just deduct it from the PAYE & NI you should be paying over by 19th May though?

Yep £1.13 won't go far though

Sorry should have said
"Yep £1.13 won't go far though "

The new tax codes are great for my ladies

lol - ok.
Mid-may is certainly NOT complying with the payment timescales that their website set out.
How have you applied - online?
I would be ringing again and asking to speak to someone higher who can do something.

I applied end of Feb/Beg of Mar

Lady rang & said everything was fine, I'd put last years amounts in but she'd alter it for the new amounts & I'd get a chq (not a bank payment) by early April

I rang today to say I need to pay on Thursday where was it

& they said they had to process it in order and it would be mid may at the earliest

I asked to speak to a manager who confirmed it all & suggested I speak to the "business payment support service" who said that I can not pay what I owe but that I might still get a penalty depending on what they decided

that crap crap crap - it is talking about 4 days on their website.
Do you have an accountant who could talk to them on the Agent Phone-no? You often find that an agent has more clout than the tax payer themselves.

No I do it all myself

I used to work for them; so have managed pretty well up to now

hmm, can't suggest anything else, other than ringing and hassling - which can sometimes be counter-productive anyway
:(

I know

I cried today

God how frustrating! If possible, keep a record of all your phone calls (dates, what was said etc), if you have an arrangement with the support service you shouldn't receive a penalty as long as you stick to the arrangement.

If you do receive a penalty notice - appeal against it (within the time stated for appeal on the notice) on the grounds that (i) you had an arrangement in place with them, and (ii) that you had had a previous conversation with them whereby you were expecting to receive funds by mid April and subsequently based your cash forecast on this only to find out later on that these funds were not going to be with you until mid May.

I have appealed against HMRC penalties (on frankly spurious grounds ) and won each time.

Try not to let it get to you (easy to say I know), but you should be fine.

Well I'll wait & see what happens

But I am cross