HMRC is reminding tax credit claimants that they have until 31 July 2021 to renew their claims.

According to HMRC, 440,000 claimants have yet to renew their claims. More than 2.5 million annual tax credits packs were posted to claimants between late April and early July 2021.

Claimants will have either received an ‘auto-renewal’ reminder or a ‘reply required’ notice. All ‘reply required’ claimants must renew their claims or contact HMRC to notify them of any change in circumstances ahead of the deadline to continue receiving tax credits payments.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said:

‘We know how important tax credits are to our customers, so we’ve made it quicker and easier to renew claims online. There’s no need to wait for the 31 July deadline – do it now by searching ‘tax credits’ on GOV.UK.’

To renew your tax credits claim visit www.gov.uk/renewing-your-tax-credits-claim.

Internet links: GOV.UK press release

More than 282,000 working families used a Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) account during March 2021, according to figures from HMRC.

HMRC stated that it is the highest recorded number of families in any one month since the scheme was launched in April 2017. These families received a share of more than £33 million in government top-up payments for their childcare.

The TFC scheme can be used to help pay for accredited holiday clubs, childminders or sports activities – enabling parents and carers to save money on the costs of childcare.

The TFC initiative is available for children aged up to 11, or 17 if the child has a disability. For every £8 deposited into an account, families will receive an additional £2 in government top-up, capped at £500 every three months, or £1,000 if the child is disabled.

Myrtle Lloyd, Director General for Customer Services at HMRC, said:

‘We want to help kids stay active this summer, whether they are going to summer holiday clubs or a childminder. A childcare top-up will go a long way towards helping parents plan and pay for summer activities to keep their kids happy and healthy.’

More details and registration for TFC can be found at www.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare

Internet link: GOV.UK TFC statistics

HMRC has launched nearly 13,000 investigations into alleged abuse of the government’s coronavirus (COVID-19) financial support schemes.

A freedom of information request revealed that, up to the end of March 2021, HMRC opened 12,828 investigations into alleged cases of fraud. 7,384 of these investigations related to abuse of the COVID-19 support schemes.

5,020 investigations were launched into the alleged misuse of the Self-employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS).

Commenting on the matter, a spokesperson for HMRC said:

‘It is vital we support businesses to recover by ensuring a level playing field, so the majority are not undercut by the few who tried to cheat the system.

‘We are taking tough action to tackle fraudulent behaviour. We have now opened more than 12,000 inquiries into claimants we suspect may have kept more than they were entitled to. We have also begun a handful of criminal investigations.’

Internet link: CityAM news

Three schemes were launched on 1 July to deal with VAT on business-to-consumer supplies of goods and services to EU customers.

They are known as the ‘Union’, ‘non-Union’ and ‘import’ schemes. The schemes are designed to facilitate the collection of VAT by one EU member state, which is then passed on to the member state in which the supply is deemed to take place.

The ‘Union scheme’ covers intra-EU supplies of goods and services for businesses with their place of business or a fixed establishment within the EU.

The Union scheme will also allow a UK business to hold stock within the EU (for example, the Netherlands) and pay VAT for all EU sales to the relevant tax authorities.

The ‘non-Union scheme’ covers supplies of services to EU customers by businesses with no establishment within the EU.

The ‘import scheme’ covers the distance sale of goods below €150 fulfilled from stock held outside the EU.

If businesses register for VAT using one of these schemes, they will complete one return for all EU sales, rather than being required to register for VAT in all member states in which their customers are based. These schemes will allow businesses to declare sales across all EU member states.

Internet link: Guide to the one stop shop

From 1 July 2021 there are changes to the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) and Land Transaction Tax (LTT) bands for residential property.

SDLT is payable by the purchaser in a land transaction occurring in England and Northern Ireland. The following rates and thresholds apply for SDLT from 1 July 2021 to 30 September 2021:

LTT is payable by the purchaser in a land transaction occurring in Wales. From 1 July 2021 the rates for residential property are:

There are no changes to the rates and bands for Land and Property Transaction Tax which apply in Scotland.

Internet links: SDLT rates LTT rates