Changes to Platinum's "Payroll" module that allow you to start processing the year 2018/19, including:

• Printed report P11 has been updated for the new tax year.
• Updated UK PAYE tax rates and bandwidths for 6th April.
• Updated Scottish PAYE tax rates and bandwidths for 6th April.
• If you have an always-on Internet connection then any updates to the PAYE tax rates through the year will be downloaded automatically.
• Updated Class 1 National Insurance Contributions rates.
• The system now automatically changes an employee's National Insurance category letter when they turn 16, when they turn 21, when they turn 25 (if they are using the apprentice under-25 category letter) and when they reach state retirement age (which is determined automatically from their gender and date of birth).
• Updated SSP rates.
• Updated SMP/SAP/SPP/ShPP rates.
• Updated Collection of Student Loans "Plan 1" and "Plan 2" thresholds.

• Operating PAYE in real time, aka Real Time Information - or RTI:

  • Full Payment Submission (FPS), which happens automatically when you close off a period, has been updated for the year 2018/19.
  • Employer Payment Summary (EPS) has been updated for the year 2018/19 (to clarify this, the year is included in the option name).
  • If you have not yet submitted your final EPS for 2017/18 then you can still do this by selecting the "2017/18 Final submission for the year" box, or going to "End of Year Payroll Routines" -> "Employer Payment Summary".
• For employers who have chosen to opt in to the new system of deducting tax for certain expenses and benefits in kind through the payroll, you must now record details of company car and fuel benefits in the payroll to be included in your Full Payment Submissions (FPS). Platinum's "Payroll" module now supports this. See How do I Record Benefits in Kind? for more information.
• The Payroll menu options have been reorganised and simplified to make it easier to get to the essential Employer Payment Summary (EPS) option.

• See Payroll End of Year for more information, including details of changes you must make yourself that are not handled automatically, including:

  • Altering employee tax codes.
  • Increasing Automatic Enrolment pension contributions.

• As always, look out for any other Payroll release announcements in Platinum Updates news.