Tax Return: how to pay

FTB-FTW

Hi all, I know this sounds idiotic, but I have always done tax returns myself before this year, when I had an accountant do it.

My question is: if someone else (i.e. an accountant) submits your tax return for you, how do you actually pay the bill?

I have always done it online, by completing the form myself then paying when prompted at the end. This year my return has already been submitted - I haven't been sent a physical bill, so how and where do I pay it? What reference number(s) do I need?

My accountant said 'just go to the bank' but this seems odd and I'm a bit embarrassed to ask such a basic question again. Also, I haven't had a checkbook since about 2005. Please help.

tyllwyd

Are you self-employed? Have you tried logging onto your account on the HMRC website to see if that has the information on what you owe? Why don't you just pay by the method you've used in the past?

patchman

You will need your 11 digit self assessment reference number, it is 10 numbers and a K at the end, it will be on any correspondance you hav ereceived from HMRC, failing that you will have to ask your accountant for it. If you go onto the HMRC site and search 'how to pay HMRC' all the info is there. You can pay by card /online banking etc. etc

FTB-FTW

tyllwyd wrote: »

Are you self-employed? Have you tried logging onto your account on the HMRC website to see if that has the information on what you owe? Why don't you just pay by the method you've used in the past?

Because my accountant has already submitted the information using a different form. Even if it is possible to do it in the way you're suggesting, I don't particularly want to do the job I paid him to do just to get to the payment page! I'm sure there is a better way of doing it.

FTB-FTW

patchman wrote: »

You will need your 11 digit self assessment reference number, it is 10 numbers and a K at the end, it will be on any correspondance you hav ereceived from HMRC, failing that you will have to ask your accountant for it. If you go onto the HMRC site and search 'how to pay HMRC' all the info is there. You can pay by card /online banking etc. etc

Great, thank you. So there is a payment page that bypasses all the inputting of data? What a relief if so...

I will have those numbers on the various HMRC letters I have here.

patchman

Yes you can pay on the HMRC site with a debit/credit card via Billpay , just enter your reference number (the k is already there) , card number , exp date etc, & amount.

tyllwyd

FTB-FTW wrote: »

Because my accountant has already submitted the information using a different form. Even if it is possible to do it in the way you're suggesting, I don't particularly want to do the job I paid him to do just to get to the payment page! I'm sure there is a better way of doing it.

No, I'm not suggesting re-doing the form. But when I log into the website and go to the self-assessment service, the first page gives an 'at a glance' summary of my account and information on how to pay etc. I thought that even though your accountant submitted the actual return, that information would probably be visible to you when you logged in?