News Article - 25 May 2007
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The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales has rapped HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) for its failure to ensure that submitting pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) returns online run smoothly.

Following a number of technical issues, the tax body has decided to extend its deadline for filing from May 19th to May 28th.

Among the difficulties encountered by advisors has been the inability to access client lists and P60 forms, while at one point the system was not running correctly for a whole week.

Paul Aplin, chairman of the ICAEW tax faculty, told Accountancy Age that the problems surrounding the system were "hugely unsatisfactory".

"This has been the third year running that we have had difficulties," he said.

"It is so sad when you consider that online self-assessment filing has gone so well."

A spokesman for HMRC admitted that there had been a number of issues with the IT system, adding that it was currently "working fine".

Meanwhile, the tax body is aiming to boost staff morale after a study showed that 73 per cent of workers felt that the organisation was changing or about to change for the worse.

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