Over the last year, HMRC have held a high number of webinars for employers and agents, on matters of considerable importance from a payroll perspective.
These interactive online meetings can be accessed by anyone who registers to attend and signs in up to five minutes before the meeting commences. Throughout each meeting – questions can be asked of the host, using an on-screen messaging facility.
The meetings can be of some length – lasting up to an hour – and have covered a wide array of topics, including the digitisation of the tax system, common errors in the actioning of automatic pension enrolment and legislation surrounding statutory sick pay.
Earlier this year, I attended an HMRC webinar on avoiding in-year penalties. Although, at Dataplan, we have a broad range of rigorously enforced procedures in place, to ensure that no penalties are received by our clients – attending the webinar was undoubtedly a worthwhile experience.
It encouraged me to think about ways in which we can further enhance our processes to ensure 100 per cent PAYE compliance. Moreover, it acted as a beneficial refresher on the omissions and oversights that risk landing companies in hot water with the Revenue.
The fact that I was authorised to attend the webinar during work time reflects the forward thinking nature of Dataplan as an employer. Indeed, Dataplan recognises the importance of ensuring that its team members are equipped with the knowledge and understanding to discharge their duties – to the highest possible standard.
With training and development budgets for all staff members – running alongside invaluable, internally held courses on an array of payroll matters – the learning and progression of its employees really is key to the Dataplan ethos.
