Bank and building society interest - Example 3

Sue is 21 and works part time as a free-lance Italian interpreter, earning £3,000 a year. She also has some savings in the building society that earns about £1,800 a year interest, and which is paid on 1 April each year. Sue's total annual income is about £ 4,800, and because it is less than her income tax personal allowance she can receive her interest without tax taken off - Sue completed a form R85 several years ago.


In 2008, because of a merger with another building society, the annual interest is not paid until 7 April. In 2009, and later years, the payment date is once again 1 April. The year the interest was paid on 7 April will change Sue's tax calculation because interest is taxable when it is paid. And instead of being paid in the year 2007-2008 as she expected, it has been paid in the year 2008-2009. A tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April. So in 2008-2009 Sue will receive 2 payments of £1,800 each, the first on 7 April 2008 and the second on 1 April 2009.

Sue's tax calculations for the years 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 look like this.

2007-2008

 

Gross

Tax deducted

Earned income

£3000

nil

Interest

nil

nil

Total

£3000

nil

Less personal allowance

£5,225

 

There is no tax to pay during 2007-2008

2008-2009

 

Gross

Tax deducted

Earned income

£3000

nil

Interest

£3,600

nil

Total

£6,600

nil

Less allowance

£6,035

 

Taxable income

£565 x 10%

= £56.50 tax due

Sue should have cancelled her form R85. She will now need to contact her tax office to pay the tax due.