davidkayla

Thank you for that information.

Submission is possible using the HMRC site if you ignore the warnings and have a UK post code and just want to declare uk income.

It is well know that if you want to claim the personal allowance as a non-UK resident you need to fill in SA109 and submit it by post:

http://search2.hmrc.gov.uk/kb5/hmrc/...rd=9EhVkBVcjmE

SA109 Notes - Residence, remittance basis etc. Notes (2013) (PDF, 580KB)
Guidance to help you complete the SA109 supplementary pages to declare your residence and domicile status, to claim the remittance basis, and to claim personal allowances as a non-UK resident.

http://www.taxinnovations.com/articl...or-expatriates

HMRC have confirmed that the “Residence, remittance basis etc.” pages (SA109) are not included on their online software, and that currently there is no intention for this form to be included. For this reason, if you are looking to make a claim for non-residence, or are non-domiciled and wish to claim the remittance basis of assessment, or to claim relief in respect of your non-UK duties, international treaty relief, etc, and you plan to file your own tax return via HMRC’s self assessment software, you will need complete and submit a paper copy of form SA109 in addition to your online return.

JAJ

So are you asking for advice, or have you already made up your mind about what you want to do.

If you have already filed a return with an Australian address, and it was accepted, and the HMRC assessment correctly reflects tax due, then is there really a problem? Going forward, you should either file on paper or use tax software (if you need to file). Perhaps trying to change what's already done is an unnecessary over-complication?

DaveandLinda

The problem with us trying to file online is that you register with them and are give a number/code (can't quite remember) and then have to wait for some sort of password to be sent to you by post. The original registration number we were given was only valid for thirty days. The password was sent by post - from Malta of all places! - and took 5 weeks to get here, so it was useless.

renth

Inland Revenue are shit.

My elderly dad did his tax return and they wrote to him a few months later to tell him they'd lost it and he'd need to do it again. And BTW it's now late and threatened him with penalties and such. Wankers.

Alfresco

Well, neither my (ex) wife nor I have submitted any paper based forms back to the UK since being in OZ.

Maybe it is different for different people.

I'll see what they come back with.

davidkayla

Hi JAJ,
I am now completely happy and will submit using online HMRC and paper SA109 in the future as it is the easiest for me rather than buying software.

When I wrote the original question I was unsure that I had correctly submitted my return as the personal allowance part was missing. I didn't know if the HMRC assessment correctly reflected tax due.

--

Pomster

For 2011-2012 tax year I was a UK tax resident so had online details. I went to use it here and saw the warning.
I called EIGHT people in HMRC (thanks to Skype) who hadn't a clue why I could not use online submission. At the end I was really frustrated and said I would just use the e-form...I submitted it, wrote an explanation in the 'other info' box, had to tweak the form with a UK postcode (which it demands) and got a small refund.

So I think there is no real reason for not using on line- bar the postcode thing.

louie

Posts above confirm that HMRC's software does not include the non-residents pages, so there is a real reason! The workaround is to submit an incomplete return online and then amend the return by submitting those pages by post, which will work, but is nevertheless not strictly correct.

davidkayla

Thanks for that Pomster,
It was that doubt (that caused you to phone 8 people) that prompted me to drop this forum a line.

I envisaged the tax office writing to me in 4 months time with a 900 pound fine and saying where is your paper copy of your return?

My only defence would be "Oh sorry, I ignored all of your warnings on your web site and found a secret way of getting round your geolocation checks and submitted online".

By phoning up the HMRC at least you have a record that someone has said you are not going to be fined.

TakenThePlunge

I just don't get this - I use the HMRC website - I put in an Australian postcode which it accepts, I have never had a warning appear at any time, and I get mail from HMRC to my address here all the time.

Only possible thing I can think of is I don't use Windows :-)

StSabre

I don't think it has anything to do with Windows

I thought that the tailoring questions at the start of the process ask whether you were non-resident at any time during the year. Where on your online form are you telling HMRC that you are a non-resident rather than a UK resident using an Australian address? That is the part of the form which is not available through the HMRC online system.

Alfresco

I just received a letter in the mail from HMRC saying I made an error on my return, which I did. They have corrected it automatically and included the personal allowance deduction, so I owe them nothing.

No SA109 sent or needed and no special software either. Just submitted though HMRC online.

davidkayla

That's great. In fact I still haven't submitted the dreaded SA109. I'm thinking now that maybe I won't.

If you owed them money I guess you would need to submit it then wouldn't you? Otherwise how else are you going to claim your tax free personal allowance. Wouldn't it be a good idea for you to just look at the SA109 to see what you are not telling them?

Alfresco

I just downloaded it, read it and saved it. I lost the plot after the first 6 questions, but I did read it all the way through.

Most of those questions, I wouldn't be able to answer without a great deal of research and other knowledge.

Anyway, my advice would be this: If they ask you to submit it by post etc... then do what is right and comply with their request.

Alan Collett

You cannot lodge the Residence, Remittance Basis (SA109) supplement online via the HMRC website - therein lies the problem, because those lodging as migrants who are now living in Australia should be submitting this supplement.

To lodge the SA109 you must either buy commercial software that permits the submission of this supplement, or instruct a firm of accountants such as us (or you, Louie) who use UK tax return software to prepare and e-lodge their clients' tax returns.

Best regards.