[UK] Reporting payroll when the normal payday falls on a non-banking day

HMRC’s Employer Bulletin will be issued mid-April but ahead of this they have asked professional bodies to share this important information ahead of the pending Easter holidays:

The date you pay your employees will usually be agreed when they begin working for you. Typically, this could be at the end of a calendar month or on Friday each week.

It is essential that you report when you pay your employees on time and use the right payment date when doing so. Remember if you use an incorrect payment date, this could impact on your employees’ financial situation, including any income related benefits, such as Universal Credit, so it is important that you send accurate reports to HMRC on time or as soon as you are able to do so.  

 However, there may be occasions, when you pay your employees at a different time and not on the agreed day or date. This can arise when the regular payment date falls on a non-banking day (i.e. on a Saturday or Sunday or on a Bank Holiday).  

If so, a payment reporting easement applies to ensure that this payment is treated correctly for tax purposes. The date you should enter on your Full Payment Submission (FPS) will depend on when you actually pay your employees and whether this is earlier or later than their normal payday.  

Easter 2019

You may not be able to pay your employees on their regular payday during the Easter Holidays in April this year as there will be four consecutive non-banking days (19 April to 22 April 2019 inclusive).

If you would normally have paid your employees on any one of those dates, but instead will pay them early on the last working day before the Bank Holidays; then you must report your normal pay date on your FPS, for example:

Paying early

When a regular payday falls on a non-banking day, but payment is made on the last working day before the regular payday.

*Remember you can report these payments early in advance of the actual payment date, but we recommend you don’t submit your FPS too early – as you might need to correct it if information changes, for example, an employee leaves or there is a change in an employee’s tax code.

Paying late

If you decide to pay your employees on the first working day after the Easter Holidays – then you should report the payment on your FPS as if it has been paid on the regular payment day/date. .

So, for example:

*We would recommend you send us your payroll submission early in these circumstances, but if you do send your FPS on a later date than the regular payment dates you must select “Late reporting reason code G”

All other payments you make on regular paydays that fall on banking days and the deductions due must be reported on or before the date of payment to your employees. There is more information [here/at] running payroll.

Global Payroll Association Comment

 We are more than happy to assist HMRC in publicising this important information.  As the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group points out in their excellent article “Universal credit payment problems – could HMRC hold the key?” HMRC seem to be realising the importance of the payment date that is on the FPS and how this doesn’t always mean the same thing as the payday (which isn’t on the FPS).

It is a shame that it took a High Court case in January 2019 to make HMRC realise the importance of the payment date and highlight it to employers.  It is not a new field after all

HMRC’s Employer Bulletin will be issued mid-April but ahead of this they have asked professional bodies to share this important information ahead of the pending Easter holidays:

The date you pay your employees will usually be agreed when they begin working for you. Typically, this could be at the end of a calendar month or on Friday each week.

It is essential that you report when you pay your employees on time and use the right payment date when doing so. Remember if you use an incorrect payment date, this could impact on your employees’ financial situation, including any income related benefits, such as Universal Credit, so it is important that you send accurate reports to HMRC on time or as soon as you are able to do so.  

 However, there may be occasions, when you pay your employees at a different time and not on the agreed day or date. This can arise when the regular payment date falls on a non-banking day (i.e. on a Saturday or Sunday or on a Bank Holiday).  

If so, a payment reporting easement applies to ensure that this payment is treated correctly for tax purposes. The date you should enter on your Full Payment Submission (FPS) will depend on when you actually pay your employees and whether this is earlier or later than their normal payday.  

Easter 2019

You may not be able to pay your employees on their regular payday during the Easter Holidays in April this year as there will be four consecutive non-banking days (19 April to 22 April 2019 inclusive).

If you would normally have paid your employees on any one of those dates, but instead will pay them early on the last working day before the Bank Holidays; then you must report your normal pay date on your FPS, for example:

Paying early

When a regular payday falls on a non-banking day, but payment is made on the last working day before the regular payday.

*Remember you can report these payments early in advance of the actual payment date, but we recommend you don’t submit your FPS too early – as you might need to correct it if information changes, for example, an employee leaves or there is a change in an employee’s tax code.

Paying late

If you decide to pay your employees on the first working day after the Easter Holidays – then you should report the payment on your FPS as if it has been paid on the regular payment day/date. .

So, for example:

*We would recommend you send us your payroll submission early in these circumstances, but if you do send your FPS on a later date than the regular payment dates you must select “Late reporting reason code G”

All other payments you make on regular paydays that fall on banking days and the deductions due must be reported on or before the date of payment to your employees. There is more information [here/at] running payroll.

Global Payroll Association Comment

 We are more than happy to assist HMRC in publicising this important information.  As the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group points out in their excellent article “Universal credit payment problems – could HMRC hold the key?” HMRC seem to be realising the importance of the payment date that is on the FPS and how this doesn’t always mean the same thing as the payday (which isn’t on the FPS).

It is a shame that it took a High Court case in January 2019 to make HMRC realise the importance of the payment date and highlight it to employers.  It is not a new field after all