PAYE21016 - employer records: maintain employer record: cancellation of an employer record (Action Guide)


To cancel an employer record opened in error, follow steps 1 - 22. The Guide is presented as follows

Checks to be made before cancellationSteps 1 - 3
Magnetic media indicatorsSteps 4 - 8
EDI indicators presentSteps 9 - 10
Linked employee recordsSteps 11 - 20
CIS deductionsStep 21
Clerical actionStep 22


For details of how to access any of the Employer Business Service functions use the [Index of Functions] button on the left of the screen.

Checks to be made before cancellation

  1. Review the information provided to satisfy yourself that the employer record can be cancelled

If payments appear on the BROCS record any action to cancel an employer record will be rejected by Banking Operations

  • Income Tax
  • National Insurance Contributions
  • Student Loan deductions

And / or

  • CIS deductions
  1. To avoid this use Function VIEW BROCS (Format 3) to check no payments appear on the BROCS record

  2. If payments are shown on the record follow the Action Guide ‘Cessation Or Cancellation Rejected By Banking Operations’ PAYE48051

Magnetic media indicators

If you enter a cancellation date when the COP computer holds magnetic media indicators the cancellation date will be rejected on COP. To avoid this you should take the following action


  1. Use COP Function ED to check whether any of the following magnetic media indicators are set

  • MTL (Magnetic Tape List)
  • MTP6 (Magnetic Tape P6)

If the indicators are set follow Steps 5 - 7

  1. Use Function VIEW EMPLOYER NOTES and check the employer record pad

  • If indicators were set in error follow Step 6
  • If indicators were set correctly you should not cancel the employer record
  1. Contact the appropriate Data Centre and ask them to remove the indicators. Include the following details

  • Name of employer
  • Office number
  • Employer reference
  • Accounts Office reference
  • Confirm that the record will be cancelled
  1. BF your papers

  2. At BF review

  • If the magnetic media indicator has been removed from COP, you may then proceed to enter a cancellation date

Otherwise

  • Issue a reminder to the appropriate Data Centre requesting immediate action to remove the indicators

EDI indicators present

If you have attempted to cancel an employer record but the following error message is presented ‘EDI indicators prevent cancellation of employer record’ you must


  1. Put the case to one side for 5 days to await action by EDI Live Service Team to clear the case from the ‘EDI Cess/Canc Exceptions’ Work List

  2. After 5 days (if the EDI Live Service Team have not been in contact with you to discuss the next action to take)

  • Use Function AMEND EMPLOYER SCHEME HISTORY to attempt to set the cancellation date again
  • If the cancellation date is accepted go to step 13

Note: Where the scheme type is PSC or XP you must enter a ‘Date Notified’, which is the date you received the information or select one of the following check boxes

  • ‘Date Not Known’ - where you do not know the date you received the information

Or

  • ‘Date Not Applicable’ – where the update is being made from information not received from the employer

Otherwise

  • If you are still unable to set the cancellation date contact the Online Services Helpdesk, and
  • Explain that you have been unable to enter a cancellation date on the employer record because EDI indicators are already set
  • Agree with the EDI Live Service Team what action should now be taken

Linked employee records

A cancellation date cannot be entered if there are linked employee records attached to that employer record

Take the following action only when you receive the following error message advising you that linked employee records exist at the employer record you want to cancel 'You cannot enter a cancellation date. Employments attached to this employer record'


  1. Consider if alternative action is required to update the employer record (for example you may need to cease the employer record instead of cancelling it)

  • Otherwise, if the employer record was set up in error
  1. Use Function VIEW EMPLOYEES

  • Select 'Linked Employees'

Where exceptionally, more than 10 employee records are attached to the employer record

  • Do not cancel the employer record
  • Use Function AMEND EMPLOYER SCHEME HISTORY to enter a cessation date of 31 March of the previous year then go to step 21

Note: Where the scheme type is PSC or XP you must enter a ‘Date Notified’, which is the date you received the information or select one of the following check boxes

  • ‘Date Not Known’ - where you do not know the date you received the information

Or

  • ‘Date Not Applicable’ – where the update is being made from information not received from the employer

Otherwise


  1. Review each entry on your list

  • Where there are no tax credit basis employments
  • Use Function AMEND EMPLOYER SCHEME HISTORY to enter a cessation date of 31 March of the previous year

And then

  • Use Function AMEND EMPLOYER INDICATORS to set the COYO Indicator to clear any intervening year(s)

For all entries with a Tax Credit Employment Basis

  • Telephone the employer immediately

Note: Tax Credit Employment basis will only be linked to an employer record up to 5 April 2006

  1. Advise the employer that you are unable to cancel the employer record because tax credit employee(s) have been attached to it. Confirm for each employee identified whether the employer

  • Has paid the employee(s) identified under a different payroll. If so go to step 15
  • Does not know the employees listed. If so go to step 16
  • Has paid tax credits. If so go to step 18

Employees under a different payroll


  1. Establish the correct employer reference

  • Use NTC Function AMEND PVE DETAILS to transfer the entire PVE award to the correct employer reference then go to step 21

Employees not known by employer

If the employer does not know the employee(s) listed


  1. Use form TC681 to notify the Employer Liaison Team (ELT) at the TCO that the applicant's NTC record is not known the employer

  2. Use Function AMEND EMPLOYER SCHEME HISTORY to enter a cessation date of 31 March 2006 then go to step 21

Note: Where the scheme type is PSC or XP you must enter a ‘Date Notified’, which is the date you received the information or select one of the following check boxes

  • ‘Date Not Known’ - where you do not know the date you received the information

Or

  • ‘Date Not Applicable’ – where the update is being made from information not received from the employer

Tax Credits Paid

Advise the employer to complete and submit form P35 and form(s) P14 for the year


  1. Use Function AMEND EMPLOYER SCHEME HISTORY to enter a cessation date of 31 March or the previous year

Intervening Years

If there is an intervening year for 2003-2004


  1. Follow the Action Guide ‘Nil Returns - Up to 2004’ in the ‘Capture Employer Return - Up to 2004’ PAYE42026 to process a proforma nil return

If there is an intervening year for 2004-2005 or 2005-2006


  1. Follow the Action Guide ‘Nil Returns - 2005 onwards’ in the ‘Capture Employer Return - 2005 onwards’ PAYE43031 to process a proforma nil return. For this situation only set RSI 2 when recording receipt of the return

CIS deductions

If the employer record holds details of CIS deductions suffered an attempt to set a cancellation date will result in the error message 'You cannot enter a cancellation date. CIS Dedns held on the record' and you will be unable to set a cancellation date. You must


  1. Review the papers held to establish that the employer has ceased. Further Guidance can be found in the Action Guide 'Cessation of an Employer Record' PAYE21031 in this section of the Manual

Clerical action

  1. Use Function AMEND EMPLOYER NOTES to record your actions and then file the papers in the employer record pad