COM90030 - Payments: processing payments: processing payments received in a local office
The majority of payments are made electronically or occasionally by cheque received at Banking Operations, Shipley. However there may be occasions when a payment is received in a local office. You should deal with these payments as follows.
Payments at the counter
Companies wishing to make payment in person should take their payment to a local Post Office, a bank branch (preferably their own) or be encouraged to pay by an alternative electronic method such as Bill Pay, debit card or using the Internet. Companies can use Post Offices and banks if they are paying by cash and / or cheque. Please note that these payments are classed as electronic payments. Post Offices also accept payment by Debit Card. If the company needs a payslip you should use the Print Payslip facility where possible. Post Offices may refuse to accept amended payslips so you must ensure that the company has a correctly completed payslip before directing them to make a payment at the Post Office.
If the company insists on making payment at the office counter you should try to encourage the company to pay using a debit or credit card rather than accept payment by cheque or cash.
Notes:
- It became departmental policy not to accept cash payments in March 2006. However there may be exceptional circumstances where you have no option but to accept the payment having explored all other methods.
- It became mandatory to pay CT and CT-related payments electronically from the 1 April 2011
You should explain that the payment will be accepted on this occasion but alternative arrangements should be put in place for future payments.
You should then deal with the payment as if it had been received in the post.
Payment received in the post
Any cheque received with a value of less than £10 million, should be sent with accompany payslip(s) to Banking Operations Shipley on the day of receipt using the TNT courier service.
Where the cheque has a value of £10 million or more you should
- Advise DMB Banking(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
DMB Banking will tell you what to do with the cheque.
Where, exceptionally, you accept or receive a cash payment you must process the payment immediately. You must count the cash and record the details of the payment always in the presence of a Supervising Officer.
Cash payments received in the post or exceptionally accepted from the company are paid in at a local Post Office. You can either do this in person or use the courier service.
Any cash payments must always be held securely in the office until arrangements are made for the payment to be banked. You should follow the ‘Security of Cash Payments’ guidance on the Payment & Banking site.
For a list of forms relevant to this subject, see COM90031.
For a list of functions to use in particular situations, see COM90032.
