Can I stop HMRC sending me a Simple Assessment?

DRS1

I have paid tax through Self Assessment for decades.
In the last four or five years I have received PA302 Simple Assessments relating to bank and building society interest.  In the past I have phoned up explained that I pay tax via Self Assessment and the Simple Assessment has been cancelled.
But then the next year I get another one and have to go through it all again.
Last year I thought I had managed to switch off Simple Assessment for more than one year but then I started an annuity and got a tax code.  The tax code included a figure for untaxed interest (which did not tally with the bank and building society interest I had in my tax return).
After trying to change the code through the web chat and when nothing happened for a month I called HMRC to see if I could change the tax code on the basis I pay tax on savings interest (and other income) via Self Assessment.  It took a couple of calls but they did that.  Except that it prompted a discussion of the interest figure which I did not recognise and I ended up giving them corrected figures for their estimates (basically last years figures where the banks had not supplied new figures).  At the end of that conversation he said that I would get a Simple Assessment.  I tried to pre-empt that but to no avail.
Before I spend another hour on the phone does anyone know a way to stop HMRC sending me a Simple Assessment - permanently?  Would writing in be effective?

Dazed_and_C0nfused

DRS1 said:

I have paid tax through Self Assessment for decades.
In the last four or five years I have received PA302 Simple Assessments relating to bank and building society interest.  In the past I have phoned up explained that I pay tax via Self Assessment and the Simple Assessment has been cancelled.
But then the next year I get another one and have to go through it all again.
Last year I thought I had managed to switch off Simple Assessment for more than one year but then I started an annuity and got a tax code.  The tax code included a figure for untaxed interest (which did not tally with the bank and building society interest I had in my tax return).
After trying to change the code through the web chat and when nothing happened for a month I called HMRC to see if I could change the tax code on the basis I pay tax on savings interest (and other income) via Self Assessment.  It took a couple of calls but they did that.  Except that it prompted a discussion of the interest figure which I did not recognise and I ended up giving them corrected figures for their estimates (basically last years figures where the banks had not supplied new figures).  At the end of that conversation he said that I would get a Simple Assessment.  I tried to pre-empt that but to no avail.
Before I spend another hour on the phone does anyone know a way to stop HMRC sending me a Simple Assessment - permanently?  Would writing in be effective?

You need to make certain that HMRC have you down as being (semi) permanently a Self Assessment filer.

Just submitting returns because you like to be in more control isn't enough, you need your tax records to reflect the fact you need to file a return and a notice to file a return will then be issued each April.

Once HMRC's PAYE system understands you are required to file a tax return each year then a Simple Assessment will no longer be appropriate.

This might worth a read.

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/paye-manual/paye93005

DRS1

Yes I get a notice to file a self assessment return every April.

I will have a look at the manual.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

DRS1 said:

Yes I get a notice to file a self assessment return every April.

I will have a look at the manual.

Sounds something is fundamentally wrong then as the PAYE system should know Self Assessment is the boss!

You might need tax codes but the final position for the year is determined by your tax return, not a PAYE calculation like Simple Assessment.

DRS1

OK I read the manual page - well skimmed it really after I realised I had very little clue what it was talking about.
What is NPS?  Does it generate simple assessments and or tax codes?
In the past I have had to speak to someone in self assessment to get them to "press a button" to tell simple assessment I am in self assessment.  Last year I was told there was "another button" which needed to be pressed.
This year the self assessment lady assured me there were no "buttons" and she would need to ask someone how to do it (and she thought she needed to speak to simple assessment - I told her that in the past simple assessment people had said only self assessment people could do whatever was needed.
It is quite frustrating..

Dazed_and_C0nfused

DRS1 said:

OK I read the manual page - well skimmed it really after I realised I had very little clue what it was talking about.
What is NPS?  Does it generate simple assessments and or tax codes?
In the past I have had to speak to someone in self assessment to get them to "press a button" to tell simple assessment I am in self assessment.  Last year I was told there was "another button" which needed to be pressed.
This year the self assessment lady assured me there were no "buttons" and she would need to ask someone how to do it (and she thought she needed to speak to simple assessment - I told her that in the past simple assessment people had said only self assessment people could do whatever was needed.
It is quite frustrating..

Yes, that is HMRC's PAYE system.

It sounds like maybe the two systems (NPS/PAYE and Self Assessment) aren't talking to each other as they probably should.

Not something many people have posted about so I'm not sure how easy it will be to fix but if you are constantly in Self Assessment (and not just because you choose to file tax returns which HMRC haven't asked for) then you shouldn't be getting end of the tax year calculations like a P800 (informal calculation) or PA302 (Simple Assessment).

DRS1

Thanks.  Sounds like another hour on the phone then.

Nomunnofun1

DRS1 said:

Thanks.  Sounds like another hour on the phone then.

Phone at 8am sharp as most are unaware that telephone lines are open at that time. 

DRS1

Nomunnofun1 said:

DRS1 said:

Thanks.  Sounds like another hour on the phone then.

Phone at 8am sharp as most are unaware that telephone lines are open at that time. 

I would but that is the middle of the night for me.  Post retirement my sleep patterns have reverted to teenage years.  Up in time for Bargain Hunt.
No comments on the next stage of the cycle please.

MetaPhysical

OP,  may I ask what the issue is with SA???  Personally, I actually like to do a SA since it tidies everything up and even offers you some benefits in that you can claim tax on charitable donations etc.  My fiancee was equally terrified but when I showed her she was "Is that all there is to it?".  It takes 30 minutes per year to get all your tax affairs sorted.

HMRC want less people to do SA but our crazy tax system is so complex that more and more of us are having to do them to keep our finances in order.  Nearly every one of my work colleagues has to do one and none of us earn more than 100k.

TheSpectator

MetaPhysical said:

OP,  may I ask what the issue is with SA???  Personally, I actually like to do a SA since it tidies everything up and even offers you some benefits in that you can claim tax on charitable donations etc.  My fiancee was equally terrified but when I showed her she was "Is that all there is to it?".  It takes 30 minutes per year to get all your tax affairs sorted.

HMRC want less people to do SA but our crazy tax system is so complex that more and more of us are having to do them to keep our finances in order.  Nearly every one of my work colleagues has to do one and none of us earn more than 100k.

I think you have missed the point - the OP DOES want to self assess but HMRC keep sending a P800 Tac calc (non SA).

As to your last point, pretty sure your colleagues will meet one of the many SA criteria if they 'have' to self assess rather than do it through choice

And you don't need to SA to claim tax relief on charitable donations.