Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003

[F1 81C (1) This paragraph applies if the company fails to give a return for a tax year (containing, or accompanied by, all required information and declarations) on or before the date mentioned in paragraph 81B(4)(b) (“the date for delivery”). U.K.

(2) The company is liable for a penalty of £100.

(3) If the company's failure continues after the end of the period of 3 months beginning with the date for delivery, the company is liable for a further penalty of £300.

(4) If the company's failure continues after the end of the period of 6 months beginning with the date for delivery, the company is liable for a further penalty of £300.

(5) The company is liable for a further penalty under this sub-paragraph if—

(a) the company's failure continues after the end of the period of 9 months beginning with the date for delivery,

(b) HMRC decide that such a penalty should be payable, and

(c) HMRC give notice to the company specifying the period in respect of which the penalty is payable.

(The company may be liable for more than one penalty under this sub-paragraph.)

(6) The penalty under sub-paragraph (5) is £10 for each day that the failure continues during the period specified in the notice under sub-paragraph (5)(c).

(7) The period specified in the notice under sub-paragraph (5)(c)—

(a) may begin earlier than the date on which the notice is given, but

(b) may not begin until after the end of the period mentioned in sub-paragraph (5)(a) or, if relevant, the end of any period specified in any previous notice under sub-paragraph (5)(c) given in relation to the failure.

(8) Liability for a penalty under this paragraph does not arise if the company satisfies HMRC (or, on an appeal under paragraph 81K, the tribunal) that there is a reasonable excuse for its failure.

(9) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (8)—

(a) an insufficiency of funds is not a reasonable excuse, unless attributable to events outside the company's control,

(b) where the company relies on any other person to do anything, that is not a reasonable excuse unless the company took reasonable care to avoid the failure, and

(c) where the company had a reasonable excuse for the failure but the excuse ceased, the company is to be treated as having continued to have the excuse if the failure is remedied without unreasonable delay after the excuse ceased.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 2 Pt. 10 substituted (6.4.2014) by Finance Act 2014 (c. 26), Sch. 8 paras. 28, 89 (with Sch. 8 paras. 90-96)