Incorrect employer listed on Government Gateway

Nikj87

Hi,  my employment contract ended with an organisation on 11 November.  I had a provisional offer of a post with DWP to start on 30th November but continued to apply for jobs in the meantime.  I was offered a permanent position with a private company which I started on 7th December so I withdrew from the DWP offer.  During the gap of employment I applied for the Working from Home tax relief.  I have just checked my PAYE on government gateway and it lists DWP as my employer and includes a payroll number and suggests I was paid on 7 December with a total salary to date of £365.  They do not have my bank details so no payment can be made to me.

I am hoping it corrects itself and that that ‘payment’ relates to the tax relief and will carry over to my current employer but worried that it may look like I have two jobs.  Can anyone advise if I need to do anything and how to remove DWP from my record?

Dazed_and_C0nfused

Have you claimed Jobseeker's Allowance?

If so how much (taxable) Jobseeker's Allowance did you receive?

Nikj87

no I didn’t claim any benefits during the 4.5 weeks I was unemployed.  

Dazed_and_C0nfused

What is the payroll number?

Jobseeker's Allowance seemed a possibility as £365 is between 4 and 5 weeks JSA.

Tax relief for working from home has nothing to do with DWP (unless you were actually working from home whilst employed by DWP).

Nikj87

it’s really confusing.  I never claimed any benefits and I did not start my employment with DWP so I have no idea why it would suggest I’m employed by them.  The only thing I can think of is that it defaults to DWP (ie JSA) if there’s a gap between employers and it’s just a coincidence that I had a job offer from DWP.  I gave my P45 to my new employer so I suppose when they add me to their payroll I will be able to see what happens on government gateway. 

Dazed_and_C0nfused

I don't think HMRC assume everyone who has a break in employment gets Jobseeker's Allowance 😳

Would that include people who left one job on a Friday and started a new one on the following Monday 🙄

What is the payroll number that will enlighten things.

Nikj87

The payroll number is 10150087.  It looks like a DWP employee number - I worked for DWP for just over a year and left April 2019.  The numbers are very similar!

Dazed_and_C0nfused

Could you be due a late payment for some reason?  

Very late pay rise, bonus, performance pay etc?

Nikj87

They are different employee numbers and not expecting any payment - although that would be nice!  I can only think that they have set me up as a new employee to start on 30th November and haven’t updated their records after I withdrew my application.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

If that is the case then I doubt HMRC would view it as employment which shouldn't be there rather one that DWP (as the "employer") should correct by filing an updated real time information report showing the pay as £0 and that the employment has ended.

I don't think the information can be withdrawn as such.

Nikj87

Ok, thanks so much for your help.  I shall keep an eye on it and hopefully it will resolve itself.