Submit your employment related securities (ERS) return
Submit an employment related securities end of year return if you’re an employer or an agent.
If you’re an employer operating employment related securities (ERS) schemes, you (or an agent acting on your behalf) must submit a return every year for all schemes, including one-off awards or gifts of shares.
Make sure you have registered your ERS scheme with HMRC before you submit a return.
Submit returns by 6 July
You must submit your return by 6 July following the end of the tax year, or you may have to pay a penalty.
You need to submit a return (or nil return) even if:
- there have been no transactions
- you have appealed a late filing penalty
- you’ve registered the scheme in error or there’s a duplicate scheme
- you did not get a reminder from HMRC
- you have made a one-off award
If your scheme has ended and you have entered a final event date, you must submit any outstanding returns up until the date it ends.
Before you start
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Download and fill in the relevant template for the scheme you operate — go to the section ‘Send end of year returns’. You can also create your own template by using the technical notes provided for each scheme type.
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Check your file for errors using the checking service.
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Save a copy of your completed return template before you submit — the online service will not save the details and you will not be able to access them again after submission.
Submit your return
You’ll need the Government Gateway user ID and password you used when you told HMRC about the scheme.
When you sign in, you’ll need to:
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Go to ‘View schemes and arrangements’.
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Select the relevant ERS scheme.
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Select ‘Submit annual returns’ for the relevant tax year.
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Complete the information required on screen and upload the completed template to the ERS service.
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Submit your return.
Check service availability and issues for the ERS service.
Agents — submitting an end of year return
If you’re an agent and have been authorised to submit ERS returns on behalf of your client, then you will need to:
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Sign in to your agent account using your Government Gateway user ID and password.
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Select ‘All your other services’.
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Select ‘Employment Related Securities (ERS) for Agents’.
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Select ‘Clients’ and then select the name of the client you are submitting an ERS return for.
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Select ‘View schemes and arrangements’.
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Select the relevant ‘Scheme name’.
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Select ‘Submit annual returns’ for the relevant tax year.
You will then be able to follow the steps on screen and upload the completed template file for your client.
You should share a copy of the submission receipt and completed return template with your client for their records.
If you need to submit a nil return
If you have nothing to report, you must submit a nil return — you do not need to download a template.
To submit a nil return you need to:
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Go to the ‘View schemes and arrangements’ page and select the relevant ERS scheme.
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Select ‘Submit annual returns’ for the relevant tax year.
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Select ‘no’ when you are asked about ‘reportable events’.
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Follow the remaining steps until you can submit the nil return.
What happens next
After you submit your end of year return, you’ll get a confirmation on screen that we’ve received it. You will also be able to download a copy of the submission receipt. This will show the date and time you submitted your return.
You should save a copy of your completed return template. The online service does not save the details. You will not be able to access them again after submission.
Updates to this page
Last updated 10 October 2024 + show all updates
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We have updated the guidance to include step by step instructions for employers and agents, including that you must submit a nil return even if you have nothing to report.
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Before you submit your employment related securities return or notification, you need to save a copy of it for your own records. This is because the online service will not save the details and you will not be able to access them again.
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First published.