HMRC help with business tax payments

HMRC Business Payments Support Helpline

We are approaching that time of year when settling up with HMRC on PAYE return amounts still unpaid and VAT annual returns where any cash flow savings on operating the scheme now need to be stumped up fall due in May, June and July.

If cash flow is going to be tight, or impossible, to cope with these cash outflows then think about calling the HMRC helpline. That's what it's there for.

The helpline does not just cover annual income or corporation tax but all of the usual business taxes including VAT and PAYE and Class 1a NIC on benefits in kind and probably settlements with the revenue for benefits not put on P11s.

Calls are obviously filtered according to circumstance and the filtering is likely to be associated with size and age of the debt or period required to pay where your details will be taken and a collector will call you back. Otherwise you can make an appropriate arrangement on the first call i.e. set up a direct debit to clear the debt over a reasonable period. If you are referred for a collector to call back it is still possible to make appropriate arrangements when the collector calls but they may ask further questions about the position on all taxes and if the VAT return is the problem how are you going to cope with the next return etc.

The problem is that there could be more than one tax falling due in the same period but this gives you the choice of which is causing the problem!

If you make the call before the tax due date you will be seen to be tackling the problem before it becomes an issue – this helps on the day of the call and if an arrangement is in place before the due date you will be protected from surcharges for VAT and income tax.

I have made arrangements for clients to clear tax debt over periods up to 12 months in certain circumstances although the average is probably 3 to 6 months.

Prepare yourself before making the call, think about all taxes, what arrangement suits you best and what period could you cope with if you had to (your bottom line) and negotiate if you need to. These collectors think on their feet and you will need to do likewise. It's worth a call to your accountant just to check that you have covered all the angles in your preparation.

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Professional Auditors may be able to help you with all types of tax calculations and filing procedures.

Also you can only have an arrangement for one type of tax at a time.

So if you are behind on VAT you can't get the same for PAYE or Corporation tax.

Prioritise getting one up to date then ask for help with just one of them

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the tax man helping out a business ? that's a new one