Conflicting info on paying after a self-assessment

necronom

I've done my first self-assessment, and I asked for it to be paid through PAYE.
When I got the the end I saw:

"Total amount due for 2023-24 £1,619.00

Plus

First payment on account for 2024-25 £809.50

Total to be added to Self Assessment account due by 31 January 2025

Second payment on account for 2024-25 will be due by 31 July 2025 £809.50"

So I thought I must have to pay manually, as it states as much clearly, so the PAYE option mustn't be happening.  Then I look on another screen and it says:

"Your balance

No tax is due at the moment"

So that implies that is IS through PAYE and I don't need to pay manually.

I also got several letters saying I need to pay by 31st Jan if I owe anything, but also showing my new tax codes with an X at the end.  Everything is contradicting itself.

So do I have to pay now or not?  It doesn't make any sense.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

When did you file the return?

The tax calculation details reflect the situation before any adjustment for collection via a tax code.

You are extremely unlikely to have received your 2025-26 tax code yet, are you getting your tax years mixed up 🤔

necronom

It's the 23-24 one:
"Your returns

You have filed your return for tax year 2023 to 2024."

"The 2023 to 2024 tax return was successfully submitted and was received by HM Revenue and Customs at 11:48 GMT on 29 December 2024."

I just don't know if I need to pay anything before the end of January, like some things say, or if it's getting collected through PAYE as other things say.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

necronom said:

It's the 23-24 one:
"Your returns

You have filed your return for tax year 2023 to 2024."

"The 2023 to 2024 tax return was successfully submitted and was received by HM Revenue and Customs at 11:48 GMT on 29 December 2024."

I just don't know if I need to pay anything before the end of January, like some things say, or if it's getting collected through PAYE as other things say.

You need to find your online statement of account, that will show if the 2023-24 Balancing Payment has been accepted for coding out next tax year.

If it has there cannot be any POA to pay.

necronom

Thanks.
I found a "Self Assessment Statement" that has a box around "You have nothing to pay", then numbers in tax due, then credits, then a final balance of 0.
It definitely looks like PAYE was accepted.
I wish they would just say that instead of saying different things on different documents, then threatening you with a fine if you do it wrong.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

necronom said:

Thanks.
I found a "Self Assessment Statement" that has a box around "You have nothing to pay", then numbers in tax due, then credits, then a final balance of 0.
It definitely looks like PAYE was accepted.
I wish they would just say that instead of saying different things on different documents, then threatening you with a fine if you do it wrong.

Where have you been threatened with a fine 😳

This is run of the mill Self Assessment stuff really.

necronom

Just in the letters and on the site, it keeps saying you will be fined for late payment.  I have no problem paying, but it needs to be clear, and I won't be impressed if they come back to me saying, "but it said on this page you need to pay by 31st Jan and you didn't, so here is a £100 fine".

Dazed_and_C0nfused

necronom said:

Just in the letters and on the site, it keeps saying you will be fined for late payment.  I have no problem paying, but it needs to be clear, and I won't be impressed if they come back to me saying, "but it said on this page you need to pay by 31st Jan and you didn't, so here is a £100 fine".

Is paranoia setting in 🤔

A £100 penalty related to late submission of a tax return.

You have submitted your return.

You can see the tax due and adjustment for this being transferred to next tax years tax code (which is presumably what you meant by this, I found a "Self Assessment Statement" that has a box around "You have nothing to pay", then numbers in tax due, then credits, then a final balance of 0).

The next thing that should happen is you will get your 2025-26 tax code, probably in the next few weeks.

Even if something unusual was to happen and the tax due couldn't be collected via your tax code, say you stop being employed, then you would always get at least 6 weeks to pay any tax due in this situation.

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/self-assessment-manual/sam140001

Nomunnofun1

necronom said:

Just in the letters and on the site, it keeps saying you will be fined for late payment.  I have no problem paying, but it needs to be clear, and I won't be impressed if they come back to me saying, "but it said on this page you need to pay by 31st Jan and you didn't, so here is a £100 fine".

There is no £100 fine relating to late payment. There simply isn’t. There never has been. Honestly.