Need to know
HMRC officials are advising people what to look out for when the letters drop through letterboxes in October
(Image: Laurence Berger via Getty Images)
HMRC letters being sent to homes within days – what you need to know
- HMRC is set to send out new tax letters to some UK households from next month, with officials urging people not to ignore them.
- These letters are issued to people who owe Income Tax that cannot be collected through their tax code, or those who owe £3,000 or more in tax. You may also receive one if you need to pay tax on your State Pension or have untaxed income such as savings interest or dividends.
- About 1.8 million simple assessment letters are set to be sent this year yet some people will receive a second tax letter from October onwards, and HMRC has warned people to read them carefully to avoid paying twice – but there are fears ‘thousands’ could end up paying too much.
- The tax authority has confirmed that some savers will be sent a second demand that includes tax owed on savings interest, plus the amount from the first letter, even if this has already been paid.
- Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Chief Customer Officer, said as the drive was first launched: “If you receive a Simple Assessment letter and have tax to pay, please don’t ignore it. It is quick and easy to pay any tax owed via the HMRC app.”
- An HMRC spokesman added: “To prevent customers from overpaying, our letters now make clear that customers don’t need to pay the total tax shown if they’ve already made a payment towards a previous simple assessment bill from earlier in the year.”
- READ THE FULL STORY: HMRC ‘please don’t ignore’ BBSI tax letters to be sent from October – read carefully
