Association of Taxation Technicians request extension to payroll submission deadline
The Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT) has approached HMRC to request that the deadline for end-of-year payroll submissions, due this Saturday, is extended to May 19th.
This follows significant disruption to the Government Gateway – the website used by employers to make submissions to HMRC – over the last week. This has caused problems and confusion for many employers and agents submitting returns in advance of the Easter bank holiday weekend.
Under the new Real-Time Information system, this is the first year that the submission deadline has been moved from the old deadline of May 19th to April 19th. This has significantly reduced the submission window, as the return requires answers to questions that often cannot be known until after the end of the tax year (April 6th).
ATT President, Natalie Miller, explained:
“The new system was always going to be vulnerable to any issues arising with the Gateway in this short time period. This has always been a concern of the Association.
“Many employers and agents will have planned to file over last weekend, in advance of taking time off for the Easter school holidays. These disruptions will have caused considerable stress for those involved. In addition, this year’s deadline falls on a bank holiday weekend, effectively reducing the number of work days available for employers and agents to file now anyway.
“As an Association we are requesting not just an extension to this year’s deadline, but a permanent move back to May 19th, as there is no guarantee that these problems will not happen again. Such a tight deadline leaves absolutely no room for failure.”
Notes for editors:
1. Association of Taxation Technicians
The Association is a charity and the leading professional body for those providing UK tax compliance services. Our primary charitable objective is to promote education and the study of tax administration and practice. One of our key aims is to provide an appropriate qualification for individuals who undertake tax compliance work. Drawing on our members' practical experience and knowledge, we contribute to consultations on the development of the UK tax system and seek to ensure that, for the general public, it is workable and as fair as possible. Our members are qualified by examination and practical experience. They commit to the highest standards of professional conduct and ensure that their tax knowledge is constantly kept up to date. Members may be found in private practice, commerce and industry, government and academia.
The Association has over 7,500 members and Fellows together with over 5,000 students. Members and Fellows use the practicing title of 'Taxation Technician' or ‘Taxation Technician (Fellow)’ and the designatory letters 'ATT' and 'ATT (Fellow)' respectively.
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