Claiming higher rate relief for additional contribution using online form

c_beam

Thanks @Dazed_and_C0nfused - makes sense although in the online form, HMRC is very interested in salary sacrifice contributions, they ask for "the total net amount you have contributed to this pension in the selected tax year. You can find this amount on your payslip or on a letter from your employer."

@Sarahspangles thanks for the link, looks like I could continue with the form and it may ask me later about lump sums.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

c_beam said:

Thanks @Dazed_and_C0nfused - makes sense although in the online form, HMRC is very interested in salary sacrifice contributions, they ask for "the total net amount you have contributed to this pension in the selected tax year. You can find this amount on your payslip or on a letter from your employer."

@Sarahspangles thanks for the link, looks like I could continue with the form and it may ask me later about lump sums.

I think you are getting even more confused.

Salary sacrifice is where you agree to a lower salary in return for additional employer contributions.  You are not entitled to any tax relief on employer contributions and are never going to be something you need to tell HMRC about unless it is in relation to exceeding the annual allowance.

So by their very nature you have contributed precisely £0 when using salary sacrifice.

GunJack

Again, another example of the over complex tax regime in this country combined with a govt department having to explain in simple terms but failing miserably which overall causes confusion....one day a govt will try and put it right (but I don't expect it in my lifetime lol)

TheSpectator

GunJack said:

Again, another example of the over complex tax regime in this country combined with a govt department having to explain in simple terms but failing miserably which overall causes confusion....one day a govt will try and put it right (but I don't expect it in my lifetime lol)

Or, another perspective, an indicator of the level of financial illiteracy in this country. One thing I've learned from this forum us that a 6 figure salary is no indication of an ability to understand fairly simple calculations or common sense.

GunJack

TheSpectator said:

GunJack said:

Again, another example of the over complex tax regime in this country combined with a govt department having to explain in simple terms but failing miserably which overall causes confusion....one day a govt will try and put it right (but I don't expect it in my lifetime lol)

Or, another perspective, an indicator of the level of financial illiteracy in this country. One thing I've learned from this forum us that a 6 figure salary is no indication of an ability to understand fairly simple calculations or common sense.

On the general point I'd be inclined to agree with you, but I think the entire UK tax regime is it's own form of hell which needs drastically overhauling and simplifying 😁

Albermarle

Dazed_and_C0nfused said:

c_beam said:

Dazed_and_C0nfused said:

If it is net pay or salary sacrifice there is nothing else for you to claim.

Normally only relief at source contributions required any extra contact with HMRC.  

It was both - salary sacrifice up until I was made redundant, then relief at source for the lump sum payment from my bank account.  So my question was what do I enter for the amount paid in on the new online form? Both or only the relief at source amount.  Or just write to them and forget about the new form.

You don't need to tell HMRC about salary sacrifice contributions because they are of no interest to HMRC.

Salary sacrifice means your employer adds more to your pension and you are not entitled to any tax relief on employer contributions.

Just tell HMRC about the relief at source contributions.  

No idea why HMRC couldn't make that clearer to be honest.

Perhaps their own confusing terminology has confused themselves !

c_beam

Thanks all - I would not have known about the beta online form if not for this forum.  HMRC (and the gov.uk site) has made so much progress improving their online services although the language could sometimes be clearer.  But the personal financial services industry has a vested interest in obfuscation.

Referring back to my original question "Has anyone used the online form for a one off payment to a workplace scheme and if so what did you state as the amount paid in?" - I've used the form and only included the one off payment made from my bank account.  The form provides the ability to upload evidence and add comments.  Will see how that goes. 

APR1964

I'm about to use this Beta form after making a couple of personal contributions recently.

• Does anyone know if using this form prevent the need to wait for self assessment time to claim the relief?

• Does the money somehow magically move from HMRC into your pension (like the lower rate relief portion does) or do you need to wait for rebates or something else to happen?

I'm keen that money goes into my pension and is invested and earning as quickly as possible, rather than the delay of self assessment and rebate.

In a similar vein, I also anticipate a tax refund this year as I've stopped work mid-year and will have paid too much PAYE. Are there any methods to realise that refund earlier than waiting a year plus for my self assessment to work it's way through the system??? My (past) employer also take their time with all the end-year paperwork (e.g. P11D) and I'd like my money working for me earlier than all these things!

hugheskevi

I've used the form a couple of times. My experience is:

• It takes ages for HMRC to process - I think they say 20 odd working days when submitted, but that came and went with nothing happening.
• HMRC are useless - when I called up to query the missed deadline, the telephone staff didn't know anything about the tool. They decided the path of least resistance was to treat what I was calling about something they did know about and hence logged it as something else entirely and so it was not escalated as they said it had been (established via the response to a subsequent complaint).
• When eventually actioned, HMRC calculate if a refund is due and if so, send details of how much it is and how to get it paid into your bank account. This part is all very good, quick, and straightforward.
• HMRC will also amend Tax Code for existing year, if given evidence of income and contributions (even just payslip showing high monthly contributions, they will apply a Tax Code based a full year of contributions), thus enabling an amount exceeding the maximum £10,000 that telephone staff are allowed to code-in without evidence of contribution. Due to processing times this would need to be done well before the end of the tax year to be of use, probably no later than January or maybe February.

DRS1

APR1964 said:

I'm about to use this Beta form after making a couple of personal contributions recently.

• Does anyone know if using this form prevent the need to wait for self assessment time to claim the relief?

• Does the money somehow magically move from HMRC into your pension (like the lower rate relief portion does) or do you need to wait for rebates or something else to happen?

I'm keen that money goes into my pension and is invested and earning as quickly as possible, rather than the delay of self assessment and rebate.

In a similar vein, I also anticipate a tax refund this year as I've stopped work mid-year and will have paid too much PAYE. Are there any methods to realise that refund earlier than waiting a year plus for my self assessment to work it's way through the system??? My (past) employer also take their time with all the end-year paperwork (e.g. P11D) and I'd like my money working for me earlier than all these things!

No it does not go into your pension.

If you only work for half the year are you even going to be a higher rate taxpayer?