HMRC Payment Changes

BLOG15th Jan 2018

HMRC are encouraging all customers to make payments electronically if not already doing so.

From the 15th of December 2017 HMRC stopped accepting payments made through the Post Office. Whilst this does not affect the vast majority of people and businesses that regularly make payments to HMRC, those that it does effect will now need to pay using one of the standard more popular payment methods:

  • Direct Debit
  • Online or telephone banking (including Faster Payments, Bacs and CHAPS)
  • Debit/Corporate Credit card online.

It is generally viewed that these are far safer, more cost effective with the added benefit of easier record keeping. For the time being HMRC will still accept payments made through telephone banking.

If you already pay electronically please review the reference information you have provided to your bank to ensure it is up to date.

HMRC changed their Bank in 2016 to Barclays Bank however report that some payments are being rejected because customers are still quoting old Bank details. If you pay at the bank make sure you use an up to date payslip showing their new bank details – all new payslips show Barclays Bank.

Along with no longer being able to make payments at the Post Office, HMRC will no longer be able to accept payments made from a personal credit card due to new legislation that comes into effect on the 13th of January 2018. HMRC can only accept payments on the basis that there is no cost to the public purse, the new legislation prohibits merchants, including HMRC, from recharging any associated fees back to the customer.

A list of payment methods can be found at https://www.gov.uk/topic/dealing-with-hmrc/paying-hmrc

For more information, please contact Nicola Burns or your usual AAB contact.