Running an empty payroll, with no employees needing to be paid

You can manually submit employee payroll and EPS through the HMRC tool, richard96. Let me help share information about this.

Since QuickBooks Online Standard Payroll has been discontinued, running payroll with no employees needing to be paid in QBO Core Payroll is currently unavailable. However, you can submit them directly to the HMRC basic tool available on the website.

From there, you can download and access the HMRC tool then submit an EPS. I'm including this link for additional insights: Running payroll.

If you require detailed guidance in processing them through the tool, you can reach out to the HMRC to help you submit them on time.

Moreover, here's a reference you can utilize to help you handle payroll issues in your account: Fix payroll error codes in QuickBooks Online.

Lean on us for any additional assistance you need when managing employee payroll in your account. Our team will be around to guide you further. Stay safe!

Oh dear. That's not the message we've been receiving through your emails.

"Standard Payroll is being replaced by Core Payroll, a solution that is designed on a powerful new platform that provides a better experience..."

"A conscious effort will be made to make this transition as seamless as possible to avoid any disruption to your business"

So why are you taking features away without any prior notification?

I suppose she will at least save the £6 a month when I unsubscribe her from Core Payroll.

A very unprofessional and disappointing attitude from Intuit though.

I am sorry to jump in that that is really disappointing and frustrating to hear. Why are you removing features which in my opinion are completely essential to running my business. You have now made it completely impossible for me to easily run and submit my payroll records to HMRC (which I need to do today).

Can someone please respond to me and tell me how to run an empty payroll please. If that cannot be done then I will firmly consider leaving Quickbooks as I cannot be without this payroll option.

I totally agree with you. I am really stuck now!

Very disappointing, but seems to be the way with cloud software these days. They can just take features away at the drop of a hat!

In the short term, I suspect you will have to do as they advise and use the HMRC Basic PAYE Tools software, even if just as a stop gap. At least it's free and does the job. I do this for another client, who has always refused to pay the extra for QB Payroll... a wise man with hindsight!

Best of luck.

I recognize the urgency of running reports for payroll to be sorted out, Ben156.
 
You have made two posts in the Community space concerning your issue, and my colleague has already responded to this matter in a separate thread. Kindly follow this link to view the response: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-uk/employees-and-payroll/re-core-payroll-running-empt...

We remain available in the Community should you have any updates regarding the status of your refund request. Please take care.

Well at least for once I could find an answer to my question on Quickbooks, shame that it's not the answer I wanted.  I agree with the other guys that this is very disappointing.  My business is seasonal so for 4 months I don't run payroll.  In the past on simple payroll it was very easy to just take out all employees and then run payroll empty.  Now it seems I will have to do this through the HMRC tool (another thing to work out how to use).  Shame I didn't know this before Quickbooks took this months subscription for payroll that I'll now not be able to use!  

Despite the answer I was given here, I recently noticed in the help file it says:

"Nil pay run:

If you haven't paid any employees for a pay period and need to submit an EPS to inform HMRC of the nil payment, no action is required on your part. The EPS will be generated automatically on the 6th of the month and can be submitted before the 19th."

https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-uk/help-article/pensions/navigating-quickbooks-online...

Don't know if you want to test that and see if it works?

Unfortunately I have unsubscribed the client I was doing empty pay runs for, so I can't test it!

I was migrated to Core before my payroll was due and now I can't work out whether my EPS was submitted automatically or whether I need to do it myself. 3 different sessions with humans assistants haven't helped either- the latest one told me to keep waiting to see if a EPS appears ready for me to submit. It's now the 10th of the month and I need to get a submission in before the 19th. Can anyone please help? It was all so simple before I was moved to Core! 

I haven't tested it, but I assume if an EPS had been submitted it would show up in Payroll > Payroll Tax as it did in Standard Payroll.

I don't know how many employees are affected, but if I were you I would quickly set up the HMRC's Basic PAYE Tools software and do the submission from there? It doesn't take long to set up, just to submit an EPS for no payment required in this period. And at least it's free so you can unsubscribe from Core Payroll and save yourself a few quid. Not ideal in many ways, but that's the direction Intuit seems to be forcing you with this botched 'upgrade'.