Reply to: Stay away from Payerise Umbrella

[Paralytic]

So, any advice on the best way forward and what the implications of all this may be would be much appreciated!

Not advice, as such, but I'm sure you're aware that you are responsible for paying the right amount of tax. If you were taking home 80%, that is very unlikely to have been the case.

It doesn't matter what Payerise did or did not do or say - it is your responsibility. So, you can either wait and see if HMRC contact you, which they likely will, or engage with a professional to help sort out your matters, work out how much you owe (including penalties), and come up with a plan. They'll be able to advise on what might be time spent (if any), depending on whether you have closed years or not, whether the Loan Charge applies, and many other considerations. Most here would not recommend trying to get this sorted yourself with HMRC.

[NatalieT]

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to hop on here after Googling Payerise to see if they were still around. Many years ago when I had first left University I was looking for work and took an admin job at a company that turned out to be Payerise' sister company and owned by the same people.
I stayed there until the sister company went under and was good friends with some people on the Payerise side. As you may have guessed it was an absolute train wreck.

The reason you were all pushed so hard by your agencies to join? Payerise paid them to do so. The agencies were taken on nights out, given gifts and money to push the company. One dinner a group were taken out on when they all left and the member of Payerise staff was left to pay up, she just walked out leaving a bill worth thousands of pounds. The same member of staff was selling the contact details of clients to agencies for £125 a head (I'm not sure what for).
I know of one very junior member of staff who was asked to photoshop some form of insurance document from the previous year to look like it was current before sending it out to clients. They didn't.

Basically I have little to add here other than to say they are absolute charlatans and its awful that so many people were caught up in this and will now be paying the price. You have my sympathies.

[jitvag]

Where do I start. Just like you, I am stuck with the possibility of a very hefty bill. In hindsight I should have consulted an accountant immediately after the first payslip popped into my inbox.

PAYERISE was actually recommended and pushed on to me by my agency, who claimed it was compliant. That is an issue I will deal with later.

That said and done, I had an indepth conversation with HMRC, explaining my and that of many's predicament following the liquidation of PAYERISE. HMRC have offered little hope in that I can attempt to send a letter, and my payslips explaining that money was deducted to pay the tax and the company has gone into liquidation whilst holding these monies. This can then be viewed as a loss. My accountant recons this is a long shot, and exercise in futility, but it is worth a try (what more else can we lose).

HEllo, I am also a victim as I am now chased by HMRC to complete self assessment tax forms and now also 'disguised remuneration loan charge' report because it was a tax avoidance scheme....grrrrr

[jitvag]

HMRC self assessment letters received!

hello

i am joining this forum late but I guess that after seeing these comments that I too have been scammed by payerise ltd. They have gone into liquidation and HMRC want me to provide more details. I knew there was something wrong with those dodgy payslips and now I realise that I was in paid in the form of a loan by the company. A loan the company would never be paying back. Now i have to go through all my records and send to hmrc. fingers crossed that i wont get stung too much.

Thanks to all

[Social7]

Please share the outcome of your conversation with HMRC

Where do I start. Just like you, I am stuck with the possibility of a very hefty bill. In hindsight I should have consulted an accountant immediately after the first payslip popped into my inbox.

PAYERISE was actually recommended and pushed on to me by my agency, who claimed it was compliant. That is an issue I will deal with later.

That said and done, I had an indepth conversation with HMRC, explaining my and that of many's predicament following the liquidation of PAYERISE. HMRC have offered little hope in that I can attempt to send a letter, and my payslips explaining that money was deducted to pay the tax and the company has gone into liquidation whilst holding these monies. This can then be viewed as a loss. My accountant recons this is a long shot, and exercise in futility, but it is worth a try (what more else can we lose).

Hi , could you please share the outcome ? Did HMRC consider your situation or were you asked to pay more tax ?

[Social7]

Exactly what do you believe they have done that is illegal? We get so many posts from people jumping straight in to 'legal' and most of them are not at all.

They showed That they were deducting tax on my payslips but there was very little tax paid on my P60 ? I believe that is illegal .

[northernladuk]

Has anyone got any legal advice in relation to illegal activity by Payerise ?

Exactly what do you believe they have done that is illegal? We get so many posts from people jumping straight in to 'legal' and most of them are not at all.

[Social7]

Payerise

Has anyone got any legal advice in relation to illegal activity by Payerise ?

[Social7]

Has anyone taken legal action against payerise

I joined them after recommendation, looking for a PAYE payroll service.
They said I had to be taxed at 42% as a high rate earner.

After a 3-4 months when I asked for a P60 they presented a minimum taxable amount. Rest of the net income came into a form of a dividend voucher. They also gave me a statement of earnings clearly saying gross and net amounts.

I was receiving weekly payslips with Gross pay and net pay and NI deductions but also with a strange ‘Tax and expenses’ line on the bottom left of the payslip but it never crossed my mind that they would deviate from a pure PAYE service into something I still can not comprehend.

Despite all these discrepancies they keep reassuring that they will pay the tax when they calculate their tax return just before January.

They said that they deduct what they agreed with me(the take away percentage) and when they complete my tax return they will calculate the tax due on my income with them and pay this to HMRC.

If they have deducted more tax than was needed they keep that as part of their charges, I don’t get any back.

That was not explained to me when I decided to go with them.

They also won’t pay tax due on any other income I may have such as tax due on any other dividends that I may have.

If they are going to pay the tax that is owed.. I am wondering..... on what income basis do they pay this tax for?

They have already generated a P60 for my employment and paid a minimum tax on it..... so that is what is declared... correct? Rest vanished

If they were to pay the tax owed they would have to generate another P60 which is not possible, right?

Do they pay a collective tax for all of their employees then as a company? I do not get it.. How they justify the rest of my gross income coming in their pocket, as what?.. as Ltd’s income, paying 20% tax?

Someone shed some light explain please, how do they operate..?

Thanks.

Hi did you get any legal advice for taking
Action against Payerise ?

[lucyclarityumbrella]

Be interesting to see where this goes.

Let us know how you get on... and best of luck!

[Superhans]

How bizarre - did they tax you on that £800 on the payslip?

Hi,

Very, I've sent HMRC all the info I've got on them and no the PAYE column is zeros.

Be interesting to see where this goes.

[lucyclarityumbrella]

The letter I got today from HMRC is about accounts 2016 onwards, strange thing is I've not worked for them since 2014, only dealings is from July this year when they sent me ~£800 for no reason and a payslip for work that I've not done, go figure??

How bizarre - did they tax you on that £800 on the payslip?

[Superhans]

Hello there,

Looks like I've been dragged into this mess also, should have done some research but again I was recommended by an agency in 2014, only worked 8 weeks luckily. The letter I got today from HMRC is about accounts 2016 onwards, strange thing is I've not worked for them since 2014, only dealings is from July this year when they sent me some money for no reason and a payslip for work that I've not done, go figure??

Anyone know what could be going on here? I've contacted HMRC and am awaiting a call back.

Cheers.

edit; remove identifying entry.

[lucyclarityumbrella]

Hi Hoperessed, sorry to hear that you have been caught by this too, HMRC will always look to see what personal taxes have not been paid and chase you for these unfortunately, the company will only be liable for the employment taxes that have been avoided.

[Hoperessed]

Hi,

Are any of you still having trouble with Payerise and tax? I too have been scammed and I can’t quite believe it! I was always employed up to the point that I went to work for a Locum Agency who subsequently recommended Payerise so had always had my taxes dealt with.

Having signed a contract stating I was employed by Payerise and paying them for this service (£15 a week) I naively assumed that my taxes would be dealt with properly. It turns out they have been taking money from me weekly for the past year and a half, stating “tax deduction” on my pay slip but have only paid a snippet to HMRC. I really don’t know what to do as they have now gone into Liquidation and I keep getting palmed off my people I talk to on the phone.

Have any of you been in contact with a solicitor? I don’t really want to throw money at a solicitor but I’m going to end up with a massive tax bill if this situation is not rectified. Any advice/guidance would be greatly received!

Where do I start. Just like you, I am stuck with the possibility of a very hefty bill. In hindsight I should have consulted an accountant immediately after the first payslip popped into my inbox.

PAYERISE was actually recommended and pushed on to me by my agency, who claimed it was compliant. That is an issue I will deal with later.

That said and done, I had an indepth conversation with HMRC, explaining my and that of many's predicament following the liquidation of PAYERISE. HMRC have offered little hope in that I can attempt to send a letter, and my payslips explaining that money was deducted to pay the tax and the company has gone into liquidation whilst holding these monies. This can then be viewed as a loss. My accountant recons this is a long shot, and exercise in futility, but it is worth a try (what more else can we lose).