May 2016
16
HMRC urges Employers to help Employees Renew Tax Credits
The deadline for renewing tax credits is the 31st July and for the periods of June and July the tax credits helplines are very busy. Payments will be stopped if tax credits are not renewed by the deadline of 31st July. HMRC are asking employers to encourage their employees to renew their claim for tax credits as soon as possible and using the online method.
Renewing online is easy and is less time consuming, any employee can do this once they have received their renewal pack. The renewal packs are being sent out by HMRC from April to June. It only takes on average 6 minutes to renew using the online method. In 2015 around 750,000 renewed their tax credits using the online service. Employees need to report any changes in their circumstances, example, changes to working hours, income etc. Anyone that cannot renew online can seek support through the tax credits helpline.
Employers can help encourage their employees to renew their tax credits by a number of methods:
• Asking their employees to check their renewal packs and to ensure all data is correct and up to date and renewing online
• By ensuring all the employees payment details and personal details through payroll have been reported to HMRC by Real Time Information
• Employers could include a note on the employees' payslips from April to July mentioning renewing tax credits and the deadline date
• If there is a business/company newsletter that it can be mentioned regarding renewing tax credits and the deadline date
