CIS returns – nothing to report here!
Friday March 2016
If you’re registered as a contractor for the purposes of HMRC’s Construction Industry Scheme (CIS), you must submit a report each month giving details of subcontractors you’ve paid and CIS deductions. You need to send a report even if you haven’t paid anyone, in which case a “nil” declaration should be made. If you don’t submit a report you’ll be bombarded with letters warning of fines.
In its Employer Bulletin 57 HMRC reminded those in the CIS that they can avoid having to submit nil declarations by notifying it if they don’t expect to pay subcontractors for a while. It will then automatically assume a nil report for the next six months.
You can notify a nil payment period by checking the box at Section 8 of your next CIS return, or by calling the CIS Helpline (0300 200 3210). If you unexpectedly pay one or more subcontractors within the six-month period, all you need do is submit a return as usual and HMRC will remove the nil payments signal on its records.
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