Hi i am an associate member of the ICB i have applied for my practice license today and have had a phone call from a business needing help.Apparently they had a bookkeeper but she has done no tax returns for 3 years and basically the books are a mess,also no p.a.y.e has been done and i am not sure if i am covered to do this at my level? apparently all her staff are self employed so she says she is a sole trader.Question is does anybody know if i am covered to do paye and also 3 years worth of messy bookkeeping will i be going in over my head for a first client?
With regards to the staff, they're either self employed or paye, they wont be both, and their status doesn't affect her status. Taking on a mess as a first job is always a challenge but can also be a good experience as you'll be very pleased with yourself once it's all sorted!
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Jenny
Responses are my opinion based on the information provided. All information should be thoroughly checked before being relied on.
Thats what i thought they would have to either be self employed or paye as you cannot be both,i dont really think she has a clue as to the accounts work going off her phone call i just hope i can do paye if not i will have to try and find another bookkeeper in my area that could do that bit?
Your practise licence will only cover you for the things that you are qualified with the ICB to do - same goes for your PII. So you can only do Payroll if you've done your Payroll Diploma, and tax returns if you've done your self-assessment diploma.
However, as BudgetB says, if the staff are all self employed there won't be PAYE, so that bit seems a bit strange. And certainly not all bookkeepers do tax returns, so it's perfectly possible to do her books, but for her tax returns to be done elsewhere (possibly what her previous bookkeeper may have thought was happening)!
