Farmers slam online VAT plan

The union’s business development director, Emyr James, is reminding farmers of a legal obligation to comply with the new regulations relating to filing VAT returns on-line - effective from Thursday, April 1 - but is also pointing out that there is no alternative option for those who do not use a computer or do not have access to broadband.

His comments follow HMRC’s reply to FUW representations on behalf of members who, because of their location, are unable to receive broadband and have no plans to go on-line.

“HMRC has confirmed the legislation does not provide exemption and there will be no alternative method to filing on-line,” says Mr James.

“To fulfil their obligation, HMRC suggests that they could ask family or friends, who have a computer, to offer them Internet access or, alternatively, employ the services of an agent who could file the return on their behalf.

“This is a typically heavy-handed government approach, showing very little appreciation of the true situation for many small-to-medium-sized enterprises.

“There is still a generation of people in society who did not grow up in an Internet environment and some consideration should have been shown towards this group of people.

“There are many farmers for whom the Internet remains an unfamiliar skill and some who distrust modern communications technology. In addition, many parts of rural Wales have no reliable broadband provision at all.”

●To help overcome the problem, the FUW says it will provide a service at county offices where staff will file members’ VAT returns on-line on their behalf. The paper-based summary must be completed in the normal way and taken to the county office.

It complements a similar service already provided by county offices, whereby stock movements are registered with BCMS electronically.

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