Long gone are the days of time consuming, paper based form filling that we have experienced for decades. We told you in Issue 7 of OPS matters that Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) had also embraced this new e-culture launching its Pension Scheme Online service.

So from 16 October 2007 it will be mandatory to submit certain forms and returns online.

The responsibility for submitting forms online lies with the scheme administrators and practitioners who are usually trustees or managers of the scheme or arrangement.

All these reports and returns will now have to be filed online:

• Applications to register a pension scheme
• Registered pension scheme returns
• Accounting for tax returns
• A scheme administrator’s declaration
• Event reports
• Notification of winding up of a registered pension scheme
• Notification of termination of a scheme administrator’s appointment.

...is available. HMRC has produced a practical user guide to the service. Chapter 9 of the guide details the process for completing and submitting each of the forms above. But to be in a position to do this scheme administrators must be registered and chapters 3-5 of the guide tell them how.

To be able to use this service, it’s a requirement to register with the HMRC. As the deadline is now only a couple of months away, it’s important scheme administrators take action now to be in a position to fulfil their reporting duties rather than potentially being caught up in the pre 16 October rush.