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Are you ready for HMRC’s Real Time Information?


From April 2013, employers and pension providers will be legally required to use HMRC’s new Real Time Information (RTI) service, writes Wilkins Kennedy’s Kelly North-McKay


What are the changes and how is RTI different to the current PAYE system?


Under the current system employers and pension providers tell HMRC what deductions they have made from pay after the end of the tax year. Only then is HMRC able to review whether the correct deductions have been made under PAYE.


Payroll operators via RTI will electronically submit details more frequently of all payments made through the payroll irrespective of the amount of pay. This also affects directors who take a small salary below PAYE reporting requirements.


But I run a manual payroll, will I still be affected?


Yes. You will need to plan ahead so that your business will be able to submit RTI data electronically to HMRC when required to do so. If you have nine employees or less you can use basic PAYE software available from HMRC, but if you have more than nine employees then you will need to call an adviser to discuss your options.


What should I do to prepare for the changes?


If you run a PAYE scheme you should begin to familiarise yourself with how to send payroll information in real time. All PAYE schemes will have to undergo employer alignment to ensure the


Go-ahead granted for 2,000 new homes near Winchester


The Government has approved Cala Homes’ appeal to build 2,000 homes at the Barton Farm site to the north of Winchester.


Winchester City Council rejected the planning application in 2010 on the grounds that it was premature, stating that there was little evidence to suggest that the housing need and lack of development had reached the levels required to release this site. The secretary of state initially supported the council’s position but had to review the decision when it was ruled unlawful. Consent was granted last month.


Leader of the city council, Keith Wood, stated: “Personally I am disappointed that the time has come to release this site for housing but the secretary of state has applied his own rules and we have no choice but to follow them. We argued strongly about the application, but we have been overtaken by events. The


council now needs to ensure that the development of this site generates all the promised benefits to the community. We plan to set up a forum to help ensure that the development minimises the disruption to Winchester residents, and the infrastructure requirements are implemented properly and promptly.“


The council has previously involved stakeholders and local residents to get their contribution to the master planning of the site to help address local issues and ensure the development sits well in the context of Winchester.


Given the history of this site the council chose to take the responsible step to influence the design, infrastructure and layout of the scheme throughout its development, rather than risk a poor quality scheme being taken through the planning process.


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – NOVEMBER 2012 middle names


• Previous full names (if applicable)


• Date of birth.


If Wilkins Kennedy runs your payroll, you do not need to do anything, as our payroll software is set up to cope with RTI filing. If you use inhouse payroll software it will need updating so that it can process and submit RTI data, if you use any other manual payroll processing method you will need to go onto an electronic payroll system in order to align with the RTI software.


For further information on how RTI could affect your business please contact your local Wilkins Kennedy office: www.wilkinskennedy.com


employer and HMRC both hold consistent data on the employees in every PAYE scheme before RTI reporting begins. So you will need to check that your payroll data is correct and in the right format for RTI purposes. Your HR personnel will need to have the following on file for all employees: • National Insurance number • Full official names including


Details: Kelly North-McKay 01794-515441 kelly.north-mckay@ wilkinskennedy.com


Paris Smith wins Excellence in Innovation Award


The Excellence Awards reward the most outstanding practitioners in the legal profession and are open to the entire legal sector, not just solicitors. Entries were judged last month by specialist judges, including Adam Sampson, chief executive of the Legal Ombudsman; Frances Gibb, legal editor at The Times; and Chris Marston, head of professional practices at Lloyds TSB.


This year, Paris Smith won the award for Excellence in Innovation for the firm’s establishment of the Paris Smith Business Club which is a first of its kind.


The event took place on the evening of October 18 at Old Billingsgate, London, with the awards being announced by the BBC broadcaster Mishal Husain.


Peter Taylor, LLP partner and head of the dispute resolution & licensing department as well as one of the founders of the club, said: “We took the bold and unique step of changing the way legal guidance is accessed by


providing a framework through the Business Club for business owners to keep abreast of developments in legal risk. Risk guides produced by lawyers, published on a subscription- based website, grade the risk of legal changes. The website is supported by quarterly business risk master classes. We are delighted that this innovation has won us such a prestigious national award.“


Law Society president Lucy Scott-Moncrieff said of this year’s entries: “The quality of this year’s entries is astonishingly high and a testament to the fact that the profession continues to innovate and deliver high-quality legal services even in these economically challenging times.


“The marketplace is changing quickly, with greater external pressure and competition. This year’s entries show that the UK legal sector continues to spearhead solutions that allow it to stay at the top of the game.“


www.businessmag.co.uk


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