Post Office payments temporary reprieve
HMRC was due to stop payments of certain benefits, including tax credits and child benefit, into Post Office accounts on 30 November 2021. However, a last-minute reprieve will be welcome news to claimants. What’s going on?
Recipients of certain benefits that use Post Office card accounts for incoming payments were supposed to provide alternative bank details to HMRC by 30 November 2021, or risk suspension of payments. The affected benefits are:
- tax credits;
- child benefit; and
- guardian allowances.
This was due to expiration of the contract between HMRC and the Post Office. Thankfully, some common sense has prevailed during what is a busy time of year - both for tax compliance and obvious familial reasons. HMRC has now announced that it has agreed a one-off extension with the Post Office until 5 April 2022.
Whilst this is obviously welcome news for affected individuals just prior to Christmas, it is crucial to update these details via the tax account, or by contacting HMRC’s tax credits or child benefit helpline sooner rather than later.
Related Topics
-
HMRC updates advisory fuel rates from 1 March 2026
HMRC has published the latest advisory fuel and electric rates (AFRs) for company cars, effective from 1 March 2026. Several rates have changed since the previous quarter. What should employers be aware of?
-
5 April deadline approaching for key tax relief claims
With the end of the 2025/26 tax year now less than seven weeks away, business owners and company directors should remember that several valuable reliefs and elections must be made before 5 April. Which opportunities are about to close?
-
HMRC reminds employers about payrolling benefits deadlines
HMRC is reminding employers of key dates and preparations ahead of the transition to real-time payrolling of benefits in kind (BiKs). With an important voluntary registration deadline approaching, what do payroll teams need to know?
This website uses both its own and third-party cookies to analyze our services and navigation on our website in order to improve its contents (analytical purposes: measure visits and sources of web traffic). The legal basis is the consent of the user, except in the case of basic cookies, which are essential to navigate this website.