HMRC to continue its risk-based approach to charging real-time information penalties

After a review HMRC has decided to continue the risk-based approach to PAYE late filing and late payment penalties throughout the 2019-20 tax year.

In an article in the latest Employer Bulletin HMRC confirms that late filing and late payment penalties will be considered on a risk-assessed basis rather than issued automatically. Penalties for 2019-20 will be issued from September 2019.

The department will not charge late filing penalties automatically for 2019-20 as long as a full payment submission (FPS) is filed within three days of the payment date. 

It states this is not an extension to the current statutory position on reporting PAYE payments which remains unchanged. Employers must still file their submissions on or before each payment date unless any of the circumstances set out in the ‘Sending an FPS after payday’ guidance arise.

Where there is a pattern of persistent late filing within three days of the statutory filing...