Arborbridge wrote:Unfortunately, I've chucked away the instructions for the paper version, but I notice on the paper return it says "the amount you were entitled to receive, not the weekly or 4 weekly amount".
I've always assumed the they actual pay me the amount I am entitled to receive - maybe a folly to do that - so I just list all the payments received in the tax year and declare that. I don't see how that could be wrong since it is the actual income I have received.
Yes. That is what I used to do (having made up my own mind on this in the face of seemingly confusing and contradictory advice).
This meant that most years I altered the HMRC's own figure in the SA box for my SP - sometimes up a little, mostly down a little. I reckoned, like you, as it was what I had actually received in SP, it would work out correct over a cycle (4 years?); barring any sudden changes in tax rates. The most commonly accepted approach is the well known "13 times usual monthly amount" (or its equivalent: 52 times normal weekly amount), but this figure is slightly too high (because of trailing years lower weekly SP). Over time it seemed to me it can only become cumulatively higher, not self correct. Which is why I didn't use it.
With my recent SA, following the online HMRC notes I used the 51 + 1 method. Coincidentally or not, this calculation gave a figure exactly the same as HMRC's pre-entered figure for my SP. So I will follow this method in future.
I am wondering now: Is there any difference between 51 + 1 and my "as received in year"?
Might look into this more, just out of pure curiosity.