Equity has today (10 October) written to HMRC calling for the seven-month backlog in issuing A1 certificates to be urgently addressed.
A1 certificates are needed by all workers before they work abroad, with the document proving a person's social security is paid in their home country while they work temporarily in Switzerland or an EU or EEA member state. Without this documentation Equity members have found their overseas work put at risk, or payments owed substantially delayed causing serious financial hardship.
In 2020, the creative industries represented 14.2% of UK service exports, worth £41.4bn. Without the frictionless movement of British artists, it will not be possible for this vital economic sector to maintain its global status, let alone grow.
Equity letter to Mr Marks CB First Permanent Secretary and Chief Executive (HMRC)
The issue is particularly acute for performers and creative professionals who are often engaged at short notice. This includes singers, dancers and members of creative teams working on international productions or tours, for whom delays in obtaining an A1 certificate can mean losing work entirely.
Equity members have reported their desperation at the long delays and spending vast amounts of time chasing this matter. When their cases become urgent and overseas work is imminent, they report difficulties in being able to contact HMRC to receive support in expediting the matter.
An Equity spokesperson, said: “International work is a vital component of many of our members’ livelihoods, and frictionless movement is absolutely essential to enable this.
“We are calling for urgent action to address the serious backlog in processing members’ A1 applications to ensure not only their ability to continue to access overseas workplaces but also to be paid on time and not subject to the administrative challenges and financial hardship that result from the late processing of A1 applications.”
The letter to HMRC calls for resources to be urgently put in place to address the backlog. It asks both why the processing time is so long and what can be done to prioritise urgent applications where work overseas is imminent. Full text of the letter can be found below.
Are you an Equity member who has been affected by A1 certificate delays? Write to your MP and help us call for urgent action.
More information for Equity members on A1 certificates, foreign taxation and national insurance can be found here.
Dear Mr Marks CB,
I am writing on behalf of Equity to ask that the current backlog in issuing A1 certificates to our members is urgently addressed. Many of the 50,000 members we represent including singers, dancers, theatre designers and directors are heavily reliant on a portfolio of work which includes engagements overseas or touring overseas with UK companies.
To complete and be paid for this work overseas, these members are reliant on the receipt of A1certificates. There is currently a significant backlog of unprocessed applications causing unacceptable
delays to our members’ receiving this important documentation, impacting their ability to accept and undertake the work they rely on, and causing serious financial hardship. The ‘check when you can
expect a reply from HMRC’ service currently shows a seven month wait for an A1 request submitted now.
In 2020, the creative industries represented 14.2% of UK service exports, worth £41.4bn. Without the frictionless movement of British artists, it will not be possible for this vital economic sector to maintain
its global status, let alone grow.
Our members have voiced desperation at the se long delays and report spending vast amounts of time chasing this matter. When their cases become urgent and overseas work is imminent, they report difficulties in being able to contact HMRC to receive support . HMRC telephone waiting times remain high and when members do get through they are told there is nothing to be done to expedite their request and they must simply wait.
To take one example, the A1 delay caused pay to be withheld from a member from January to April 2025 while on tour overseas. He had no other earnings and experienced serious financial hardship.
I am writing to ask for further explanation of :
• Why the processing time is so long ?
• When will additional resources be put in place to urgently address the backlog?
• What will be done to prioritise urgent applications where work overseas is imminent ?
Yours Sincerely,
Paul W Fleming
