COVID-19 Update – 18 November – SEISS claimants need to respond to emails from HMRC

SEISS claimants who have received an email from HMRC querying whether they have continued to trade need to respond by 20 November.

In October 2020, HMRC emailed approximately 24,000 Self-employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) claimants where it held information suggesting that the taxpayer had ceased trading.

Recipients of this email need to respond by Friday 20 November, using the dedicated HMRC form.

It is important to respond even if the trading has continued and the grant was correctly claimed. As the emails were sent directly to claimants, Wright Vigar as your agent may not be aware you have received a form.

You must complete the form on or before 20 November 2020 to confirm whether or not you were eligible for the grant. You will not be able to make a further claim if you do not do this.

Once you complete the form, any further claim may still be delayed.

If you claimed a grant on the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme you’ll need to confirm with HMRC whether or not you’ve stopped trading. If you have stopped trading and permanently closed your business, HMRC will need to check if you were eligible for your grant. If you were not, HMRC will contact you to arrange for you to pay it back.

If you have not stopped trading and not closed your business, you still need to tell HMRC. HMRC may contact you to ask for evidence to prove you’re still trading.