HMRC seeks taxpayer assistance to test its new VAT Deferral Payment Scheme interface

HMRC has contacted the CIOT to see if any of its members or their clients would like to take part in a beta testing exercise.

Please see message below sent on behalf of the VAT Deferral Team:

“HMRC are looking for volunteers to test the IT system for the VAT Deferral New Payment Scheme. The Scheme will enable businesses who deferred their VAT between March 20 and June 30 last year to pay it back in smaller chunks, interest free, over the course of 2021 to 2022. It is a standard offer and businesses may select to re-pay their deferred VAT in between 2 to 11 payments. The scheme will be accessed through a simple digital service and it is this service that we need to test next week ahead of the full scheme launch.

This is a vital exercise which will ensure the system is robust and accessible before it is launched to businesses across the country. It does not require specialist software and it is a self-guided journey (rather than one completed by an agent). We need a broad cross-section of customers and will need to do a little checking to ensure volunteers meet our desired tester profile. To that end, volunteers will have to take part in a short telephone or online interview.

If you know of any businesses that would like to take part in the Beta testing, could you ask them to email [email protected], as soon as possible, with their contact details and a subject line of “Volunteer Beta Tester – New Payment Scheme”.

Current guidance on paying VAT deferred due to COVID-19 can be found on Gov.UK