DMBM519000 – Debt and Return Pursuit: Self Assessment: Referring customers to Enquiry Centres (EC) for assistance in multiple SA year situations

Background

Local DMB colleagues should advise the customer to call the SA helpline on 0845 900 0444, this is open 8am to 8pm every day. The helpline will give assistant in completing the return. Contact centre advisors will only assist customers in completing one year’s return and they are restricted to guidance on the completion of only certain boxes.

If an EC interview is necessary the helpline will arrange for the appropriate Enquiry Centre to make contact with the customer for a mutually agreeable date.

Customers must not be sent directly to the EC as there is no guarantee that an advisor will be available for an immediate appointment.

What a customer will need to take with them to the interview in order for them to complete the SA return

Customers seeking assistance with an SA return (by telephone or face to face) should have to hand information about their financial circumstances for the year(s) in question.

If they are an employee they will need

• P60 or P45 or payslips for each employment
• information provided by their employer (for example P11D)
• details of any pensions or social security benefits received
• details of any other income received (for example bank or building society interest, dividends)

If they are self employed/in partnership they will need

• details of their income for the year
• details of their expenses for the year
• details of any tax deducted (for example CIS25)
• details of any pensions or social security benefits received
• details of any other income received (for example bank or building society interest, dividends)

What EC staff will/will not do to assist

EC staff will only assist customers with completing one years return and that assistance is limited to guidance on specific questions.

EC staff will not make specific calculations on the amounts that are entered into the boxes.

The EC advisor will not solely dedicate an appointment that is open ended, and the customer will then be expected to complete all other returns on their own. Within reason, if a desk/accommodation is available within the EC the customer will be given that option to carry out the completion of all other returns.

The EC advisor will not be in a position to spend time interrogating HMRC IT systems to provide information that the customer should already have in their position.