PAYE103020 - Individual records: maintain individual details: name

An individual’s name, including title, other title, surname, forenames and honours can be inserted using the Insert Name Details screen, or edited by selecting the drill down button next to the details you want to edit. Both screens are accessed from the Name Details screen. The Other Title field is a free format field to supplement the list of available titles provided in the ‘Title’ drop down menu and allows you to input a title not contained in the standard list, for example ‘Colonel’ or ‘Professor’.

Where there is an entry in the ‘Other Title’ field, this will be shown on outputs to the individual in preference to the title shown in the ‘Title’ field. For this reason, it is essential that you do not enter anything in the ‘Other Title’ field that may cause offence to the customer. For example, you must not enter information regarding a customer’s marital status in this field, for example ‘Divorced’ or ‘Widow’. 

The screen will be populated with the information currently recorded on the National Insurance and PAYE Service (NPS) for the individual. Where a ‘Known As’ or ‘Employment’ name exists this will be displayed at the top of the list. Where the individual has both a ‘Known As’ and ‘Employment’ name the ‘Known As’ name will be at the top.

Notes:

1. Not all the COP records at the time they were migrated to the PAYE Service held a forename and initial. For these cases 'X' will appear in both the forename and initial. If you come across any of these cases you should ensure you obtain the correct details and update the record.

2. You should only use the Edit Record icon when you want to amend a name already recorded on the computer screen and the name details held are incomplete or partially incorrect.

Name types


'Real’ name

This is the individual’s real name and the real name will always be displayed on the Name Details screen. Output will be issued to the individual under this name unless they have a ‘Known As’ name.

‘Known As’

Where a ‘Known As’ name is recorded on the PAYE Service this name will always be produced on output to the individual in preference to a ‘Real’ name.

You should be aware that the ‘Known As’ name held and displayed on the PAYE Service is not the same as a ‘Known As’ name on COP.

On the PAYE Service the ‘Known As’ name is used where the individual wants correspondence sent to them by HMRC to be issued in a name other than their real name. The ‘Known As’ name, once entered onto the PAYE Service, will be passed on to the following systems and correspondence issued from these systems will also be issued in the ‘Known As’ name

  • Employer Business Service (EBS)
  • Collection of Student Loans
  • New Tax Credits (NTC)
  • Self Assessment (SA) - Individuals
  • Taxpayer Business Service (TBS)
  • New Tax Credits

You should therefore make it clear to any individual requesting a ‘Known As’ name that all correspondence from HMRC will be issued in that name.

On COP the ‘Known As’ name was linked to a specific employment with any outputs in respect of the individual for that employment issued to the employer in the ‘Known As’ name.

At Data Migration any ‘Known As’ names held on COP will be converted to ‘Employment’ names on the PAYE Service.

Where the individual no longer wishes to use a ‘Known As’ name you should access the Name End Date field to close the period for the ‘Known As’ name.

‘Employment’ name

Where an ‘Employment’ name is recorded on the PAYE Service this name will always be produced on output to the employer in preference to the ‘Real’ name or ‘Known As’ name.

On the PAYE Service the ‘Employment’ name serves the same purpose as the COP ‘Known As’ name but applies to all outputs to all employers and not just a particular linked employer as was the case with COP. The ‘Employment’ name is solely for use in PAYE business and is not passed on to other systems through the Framework.

Where the individual no longer wishes to use an ‘Employment’ name you should delete the employment name by selecting the [Delete] button in the Edit name details screen.

Note: Where an individual asks for correspondence to be sent out to them in a ‘Known As’ name, or to their employer(s) in an ‘Employment’ name you will need to make them fully aware of the implications before processing their request.