.png)
.png)
Greta Garbo moment
HMRC say that there are delays with the processing of both online and paper VAT registration applications. They are taking steps to improve the situation but have asked that taxpayers 'please try to avoid contacting us to see how your application is progressing as this may further extend processing times'.
Greta Garbo moment
HMRC say that there are delays with the processing of both online and paper VAT registration applications. They are taking steps to improve the situation but have asked that taxpayers 'please try to avoid contacting us to see how your application is progressing as this may further extend processing times'.
In respect of processing VAT registration applications, the Chancellor was asked what percentage of complete and accurate applications were processed within 21 days of receipt. Dawn Primarolo replied that HMRC currently record processing time for all applications and no longer distinguish between those that are either complete or incomplete. The latest available monthly figures are as follows:
|
2007 |
|
|
January |
58 |
|
February |
63 |
|
March |
60 |
The Chancellor was then asked how many complaints HMRC had received on the time taken to process VAT registrations in recent months. Ms Primarolo said that HMRC register over 280,000 new businesses every year and that over the past 12 months less than 1% of these businesses have complained about registration delays. She said that the recent increase in the number of complaints was because of 'the introduction of more rigorous pre-registration checks designed to combat missing trader intra community fraud'. She added that HMRC are working to reduce the number of registration delays. The number of complaints received in 2007 about delays is as follows:
|
January |
69 |
|
February |
85 |
|
March |
100 |
|
April |
131 |
|
May |
133 |
www.hmrc.gov.uk; Hansard, 18 June 2007, vol 461, no 107, col 1500W
