HMRC has launched an online tax registration service to allow registration for all main business taxes (self assessment, corporation tax, PAYE for employers and VAT) in a single website visit.
The service can be used by new businesses as well as existing ones who need to register for an additional business tax. The service is accessed through ‘My New Business' on the Business Link website and the HMRC website.
One of the benefits is that a business using the service is automatically enrolled for the associated online service and an activation code is issued by the government gateway for each online service registered for.
To assist with their tax registration, a business can set up a ‘delegate’ who can review, add or amend the data prior to the business submitting the registration. An agent or adviser can also use the service to register a client for the appropriate taxes and information can be entered, saved and returned to later for completion. The agent cannot enrol the client for the associated online services. If an agent registers a client for any business tax the client will have to enrol for the associated online service themselves.
The new service reduces the time taken to register a new business and also the need to provide the same information more than once. The online form automatically validates the information and highlights errors or omissions.
In addition, Companies House and HMRC have introduced a joint registration facility within the Companies House web incorporation service. This means incorporation and the registration of the company for corporation tax can be completed as a single process.