It Never Rains But It Pours

[Rea]

After the kerfuffle with the charity commission a few weeks ago, I thought we were back on track. New, eager committee, full sessions and a full waiting list. The charity commission, at the time, used the words 'unauthorised', 'disolve' and 'unlawful'.

 

This morning I received a letter from HMRC via our old payroll company, which says we havent paid any tax or NI since April 2010. HMRC use the words 'seizing assests', distraint action', 'public auction' and 'embarrassing'.

 

Now, forgive me if I'm wrong, but I thought thats what payroll companys did, paid Tax and NI for small businesses like ours. Its all far too confusing for me to work out so I've emailed our new accountant with all the details I can gather.

 

And d'you know what? I'm laughing. Its too ridiculous not to.

[Guest]

OMG Rea you poor thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Our payroll person calculates staff wages and what we owe HMI.

 

However, don't forget that staff tax/NI are different to employer's contributions - staff lose money on their wages, but the setting also has to pay money to the revenue. Could this be where a mix up has occurred?

 

Whatever the case is, your payroll company should be advising you about what is due.

 

Good luck! (Will do a row of smileys below to try and sum up what you're going through ...)

 

:wacko:

[Fredbear]

Hi Rea i'm very rarely lost for words but i am on this occasion.

Just sending you hugs and hoping you are able to resolve this as quickly as possible, it's a minefield out there.

I

[Rea]

Our accountant has got back to me and left a message saying we dont owe anything yet and she'll phone them.

I have no idea what HMRC are up to. The letter said 'you have not responded to previous attempts to collect your debt'.

What previous attempts?

I cant believe this is happening on my watch. If this had happened while anyone else had been chair, i'd have thought they were lapse and in need of a swift kick, but honestly, these things just keep happening to me. Absolutley gobsmacked at the way things are going.

 

They say things come in 3s. Well Ofsted are due anytime, so that'll be an inadequate but it will really mean 'we've messed up and you're really Outstanding'.

 

 

Fingers crossed folks

Edited December 15, 2010 by Rea

[hali]

oh goodness Rea what a nightmare for you x

[Inge]

sounds like a misunderstanding somewhere.. how long has your Payroll been done by this company... are they assuming it is an annual payment they have to make ?

 

I used to do the payroll etc for our setting and we had to send in the tax and Nat Insurance in regularly, not all at the end of the year...

 

I believe some have to do it monthly, but we had an arrangement for Quarterly payments which I had to contact them to set up... and if we did not pay by the correct date they charged interest on it, so cost more.. Any quarter with no payment due I still had to send in the slip to say there was none due, or they chased us.

 

its a minefield out there unless you know.. and no one tells you.. i learnt all from ringing the HMRC and asking.. but was lucky to have a mum who worked for them teach me at the beginning..

 

 

edit to add

just got to love it when Hali and I post together..those avatars look so funny - one very confused Santa there

Edited December 15, 2010 by Inge

[Cait]

My payroll system works it all out and I send quarterly payments.

 

This is awful though - hopefully your helpful chap can sort it all out - fingers crossed for you

[Rea]

Its only just dawning on me that tax and NI can be paid to HMRC anything other than monthly. I always assumed as it was taken off on each monthly payslip thats how it was paid.

Never in my imagination did I think it was saved up to be sent at a later date.

I think the confusion is over.

 

Panic over, until the next time.

I dont drink in the house, but i might well start!

[sunnyday]

I dont drink in the house, but i might well start!

 

Make it a large one!

 

Poor you - glad that it looks like things will be sorted out!

[Guest]

Rea, tax and NI will come off staff wage slips monthly, but employers also have to pay NI.

 

This is something I only realised when we were trying to give my poor leader her GLF money and we realised it would COST us money to pay her money the government had given us to give her, ifswim.

 

Bet you can't wait for the end of term!

[Cait]

The person who deals with payroll will take off the Tax and NIC for the employee and will also make note of the contribution from the employer. Both of these amounts of money will be sent to the taxman either monthly or quarterly

[Rea]

Its just something I can add to my list of 'I didnt know I needed to know that'. Its quite inexhaustive.

 

End of term wont make any difference Suzie, still got invoices and funding form to do. You know? I can see this being my last year. I feel a change is needed. Playleader to supply to hospital volunteer to chair to something else.

[Guest]

There is a huge list of things I didnt think I needed to know aswell Rea. It still amazes me how anybody expect 'parents' who join committee to support it while their child attends has to deal with so much and know so much. Our Manager use to ask people to join and say you dont really need to do anything other than attend meetings. lol!! We are currently making mega changes and employing staff - praying all the time we are doing it properly!!!

 

As far as payroll is concerned out accountants work it all out then it comes back to us to write staff wage cheques and also a slip to send to hmrc with tax and ni and a nice cheque each month. xx

 

Keep smiling x