RTI is one of the latest forms of
getting private business to do the work that Government can’t. Basically it necessitates
keeping the Inland Revenue (HMRC) informed on a monthly basis about your
employees’ pay, benefits, deductions etc.
It has involved a heap of work and
learning for us (broad use of the collective noun) and I recall all sorts of
dire threats if we’re not up to speed and ready to comply, on time, all the
time.
Well, my team are and were.
Payroll day today. Can we run it?
No, of course not. The software doesn’t
work.
A broadsheet article three weeks
ago observed that Whitehall’s record on IT projects “does not fill us with
confidence”. Top marks to the Telegraph,
though I expect I’ll be forgiven for saying that it wasn’t the toughest of
predictions.
I don’t begin to suggest that anything
would be achieved by being able to speak to a real person at the Revenue but if
it could, you can’t anyway. Today’s recorded message told us:
“We are aware of an issue with some employers trying to submit their RTI returns using the HMRC’s Basic Paye Tools. We are investigating this issue and will report on this early next week. Employers should continue to pay their employees as normal even if they have problems with their payroll and can’t submit their PAYE until after they have paid their employee. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.”
Oh – so we don’t hang on to the
money and tell the staff “hard luck”? Fantastic – thanks for clarifying that
one.
We’ve worked out for ourselves
that all salaried workers will have to be paid the same as they did last month
and wait until…..whenever – for the lavish bonus that Osbo heaped in their direction
in the course of his last inspirational budget.
This is the best that UK Government
departments can manage?
We just know it’s coming every
time. Repeated failure and helplessness.
Embarrassing.
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