VAT deferral new payment scheme for VAT deferred due to Covid-19

If you deferred VAT payments due between 20th March 2020 and 30th June 2020 and still have payments to make, you can:

• pay the deferred VAT in full, on or before 31st March 2021
• join the VAT deferral new payment scheme – the online service is open between 23rd February 2021 and 21st June 2021
• contact HMRC by 30th June 2021 by calling 0800 024 1222 if you need extra help to pay

You may be charged interest or a penalty if you do not:

• pay the deferred VAT in full by 31st March 2021
• opt in to the new payment scheme by 21st June 2021
• agree extra help to pay with HMRC by 30th June 2021

The VAT deferral new payment scheme is open from 23rd February 2021 up to and including 21st June 2021.

If you’re on the VAT Annual Accounting Scheme or the VAT Payment on Account Scheme, you’ll be invited to join the new payment scheme later in March 2021.

The new scheme lets you:

• pay your deferred VAT in equal instalments, interest free
• choose the number of instalments, from 2 to 11 (depending on when you join)

Instalment options available to you

The month you decide to join the scheme will determine the maximum number of instalments that are available to you. If you join the scheme in March, you’ll be able to pay your deferred VAT in 11 instalments or fewer.

The table below sets out the monthly joining deadlines (to allow for Direct Debit processing) and the corresponding number of maximum instalments (including the first payment):

How to join

Please note that Streets cannot apply for the deferral payment scheme as your Agents, you will need to apply directly.

Before joining, you must:

• create your own Government Gateway account (if you do not already have one)
• submit any outstanding VAT returns from the last 4 years – otherwise you’ll not be able to join the scheme
• correct errors on your VAT returns as soon as possible
• make sure you know how much you owe, including the amount you originally deferred and how much you may have already paid

To use the online service, you must:

• join the scheme yourself, your agent cannot do this for you
• still have deferred VAT to pay
• be up to date with your VAT returns
• join by 21st June 2021
• pay the first instalment when you join
• pay your instalments by Direct Debit (if you want to use the scheme but cannot pay by Direct Debit, there’s an alternative entry route for you)

If you join the scheme you can still have a Time to Pay arrangement for other HMRC debts and outstanding tax.

If you cannot use the online service

There may be circumstances where you cannot use the online service, for example if you:

• do not have a UK bank account
• cannot pay by Direct Debit
• have dual signatories on your account

If you want to join the new payment scheme but cannot use the online service, contact the COVID-19 helpline when the scheme opens by calling 0800 024 1222.

Correcting errors on VAT returns for the VAT deferral period

The VAT deferral period covered accounting periods for:

• February 2020
• March 2020
• April 2020
• May 2020 - for payment on account customers and certain non-standard tax periods only, in addition to the above periods

If you notice an error on a VAT return which relates to a period covered by the scheme, you should:

1. Fill in form VAT652
2. Send it to the VAT Error Correction Team

Deferring extra payments resulting from error corrections

If you want to defer extra payments resulting from error corrections, contact the COVID-19 helpline by calling 0800 024 1222 after both of the following have happened:

• HMRC have processed your error correction
• you’ve received a statement of account confirming the balance

You can then either:

• include the payments in your deferred balance and pay in full by 31st March 2021
• include the payments in your deferred balance and join the new payment scheme while it is open
• contact HMRC if you need more help to pay by calling 0800 024 1222

You cannot include extra payments after you’ve joined the scheme. Any error correction relating to the deferral period that is notified to HMRC after 31st March 2021, cannot be deferred.

You may be contacted by HMRC if they have carried out a VAT compliance check and found that extra payments are due for the deferral period. You must also contact HMRC’s COVID-19 helpline by calling 0800 024 1222 if you want to defer these payments.