Using the QROPS Online Service
Published 13 December 2013
© Crown copyright 2013
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/using-the-qrops-online-service/using-the-qrops-online-service
This publication was originally archived on 6 April 2017.
This document is out of date. The QROPS Online Service closed in April 2017.
Using the QROPS Online Service
1. What you can use the QROPS Online Service for
1.1 Overseas scheme managers
Use the online service to:
- notify HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) that the scheme is a Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (ROPS)
- re-notify HMRC that the scheme is a ROPS
- report payments out of funds transferred from a UK pension scheme to a ROPS
- report change of details
- report change in status and notification of fund value
- report any additional information required for schemes that were formerly ROPS
1.2 UK scheme administrators
Use the online service to notify HMRC electronically that a UK registered pension scheme has transferred sums or assets to a ROPS.
2. Access the QROPS Online Service
If you’re a scheme manager and have notified HMRC of a ROPS, HMRC will write to you. The letters will contain your Scheme Manager ID and Activation Token which you’ll need to enrol for the QROPS Online Service.
Once you receive your Scheme Manager ID and Activation Token, access the QROPS Online Service by using instructions 3.1 or 3.2 below - depending on whether you’ve used HMRC Online Services before.
If you haven’t previously notified HMRC of a ROPS, use instructions 3.3 or 3.4 - depending on whether you’ve used HMRC Online Services before.
3. Service instructions
3.1 You have your Scheme Manager ID and Activation Token - not used HMRC Online Services before
Register and enrol:
- sign up for HMRC Online Services
- select ‘Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS)’ from the list of services and follow the on screen instructions
No further Activation Code is needed for this service.
3.2 You have your Scheme Manager ID and Activation Token - used HMRC Online Services before
Enrol for the QROPS Online Service:
- sign in as an existing user using your existing Government Gateway User ID and Password
- under ‘Services’ select ‘Enrol for online services’
- enrol for QROPS Online Service and follow the on screen instructions
You’ll be told that you’ve successfully enrolled for QROPS and you can start using the system straight away. No further Activation Code is needed for this service.
You must use the ‘Enrol for online services’ option and not the ‘Register for QROPS’ as this would create a new Scheme Manager record.
3.3 You haven’t notified HMRC of a QROPS or used HMRC Online Services before
Register for HMRC Online Services:
- register for QROPS on HMRC Online
- create an account and follow the on screen instructions
There will be an overnight delay before you can access the QROPS Online Service while authentication is processed.
3.4 You haven’t notified HMRC of a QROPS but you’ve used HMRC Online Services before
Register for the QROPS Online Service:
- sign in to HMRC Online using your User ID and Password
- select ‘Register for HMRC taxes’
- select ‘Register for QROPS’ and then follow the on screen instructions
There will be an overnight delay before you can access the QROPS Online Service while authentication is processed.
4. Access the QROPS Online Service in future
To access the service:
- sign in to the Online Service
- select ‘Activate or access online services’ from ‘Services you can use’
- select ‘Access the QROPS Online Service’
5. Welcome page
When you’ve signed in you’ll see your Scheme Manager ID at the top right and a list of all of your schemes and their status, which can be:
- QROPS
- rejected - non-qualifying at renewal
- suspended
- former QROPS
- excluded
Select a QROPS reference to submit forms for that scheme.
If you need a blank member information spreadsheet file to save locally use the links on the left hand menu of the Welcome page.
6. Uploading CSV files
6.1 Filename
The filename should consist of the date on which you’re uploading the file in reverse order (YYYYMMDD-) and the QROPS reference number.
For example if you’re capturing the members for the scheme with the reference number ‘QROPS500100’ on 23 July 2014 the filename should be: 20140723 -QROPS500100
6.2 Country and currency codes for CSV files
When uploading CSV files to HMRC you’ll need to know the:
- 3-letter ISO3166-1 code of the country
- ISO 4217 code of the currency
See the QROPS Online Service - country and currency codes list for the codes you need.
6.3 Uploading the file
Select ‘Browse’ and locate the file you’ve previously completed and saved. Select ‘Next’ to continue.
If you’re reporting payments, make sure you enter the total number of members you’re providing information about. If the number of rows in the uploaded file doesn’t equal the number of reportable member payments you’ve entered or if there are other validation issues when the file is uploaded an error message will appear.
6.4 Error messages
If you see an error message when attempting to upload a file you’ll need to review the information provided in the file to correct any errors in the captured data. Select the ‘View * spreadsheet errors’ link to see the errors that have prevented the upload. These will appear in a text file, which you can save.
Use the information in this file to identify where the errors are and use the file format guidance in sections 6.6 and 6.7 to correct them.
Once you’ve corrected the file you’ll need to upload it again.
6.5 Successful upload - access and amendments
When you’ve successfully uploaded your file you’ll see a summary of the information submitted. Print this for your own records as you won’t be able to access the information through the system again - this is a security measure.
If you find you’ve made an error and need to make amendments, you should re-submit the whole file electronically, including the amendments.
6.6 File format guidance - member fund valuation information
Member name and title
|
Field label |
Mandatory (M) Optional (O) Conditionally Mandatory (C) System populated (S) |
Format |
Possible values |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title | O | 50 chars | Only the following characters are permitted in the Title field: A - Z a - z ’ - SPACE |
| Last name | M | 100 chars | Only the following characters are permitted in the Last name field: A - Z a - z ’ - SPACE |
| First name(s) | M | 100 chars | Only the following characters are permitted in the First name(s) field: A - Z a - z ’ - SPACE |
Member’s principal residential address
|
Field label |
Mandatory (M) Optional (O) Conditionally Mandatory (C) System populated (S) |
Format |
Possible values |
|---|---|---|---|
| Address line 1 | M | 35 chars | |
| Address line 2 | M | 35 chars | |
| Address line 3 | M | 35 chars | |
| Address line 4 | M | 35 chars | |
| Address line 5 | M | 35 chars | |
| Country | M | AAA | 3 letter code for country plus ‘EUR’ if it’s an EU Institution e.g. ‘GBR’ |
| National Insurance number | O | 9 chars | Only the following characters are permitted in the National insurance number field: A - Z a - z 0 - 9 |
| If the member has contacted Jobcentre Plus and isn’t entitled to a National Insurance number please state the reasons and give any HMRC reference number that the member has received |
O | 150 chars | |
| Member’s date of birth | M | dd/mm/yyyy |
Value of funds
|
Field label |
Mandatory (M) Optional (O) Conditionally Mandatory (C) System populated (S) |
Format |
Possible values |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency | M | AAA | 3 letter code for currency as specified under ISO4217 |
| Amount | M | 10 digits |
6.7 File format guidance - member payment information
Member name and title
|
Field label |
Mandatory (M) Optional (O) Conditionally Mandatory (C) System populated (S) |
Format |
Possible values |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title | O | 50 chars | Only the following characters are permitted in the Title field: A - Z a - z ’ - SPACE |
| Last name | M | 100 chars | Only the following characters are permitted in the Last name field: A - Z a - z ’ - SPACE |
| First name(s) | M | 100 chars | Only the following characters are permitted in the First name(s) field: A - Z a - z ’ - SPACE |
Member’s principal residential address
|
Field label |
Mandatory (M) Optional (O) Conditionally Mandatory (C) System populated (S) |
Format |
Possible values |
|---|---|---|---|
| Address line 1 | M | 35 chars | |
| Address line 2 | M | 35 chars | |
| Address line 3 | M | 35 chars | |
| Address line 4 | M | 35 chars | |
| Address line 5 | M | 35 chars | |
| Country | M | AAA | 3 letter code for country plus ‘EUR’ if it’s an EU Institution e.g. ‘GBR’ |
| National Insurance number | O | 9 chars | Only the following characters are permitted in the National insurance number field: A - Z a - z 0 - 9 |
| If the member has contacted Jobcentre Plus and isn’t entitled to a National Insurance number please state the reasons and give any HMRC reference number that the member has received |
O | 150 chars | |
| Member’s date of birth | M | dd/mm/yyyy | |
| Member’s contact phone number | O | 35 chars | Only the following characters are permitted in the Phone number field: 0 - 9 ( ) - SPACE |
| Date of payment | M | dd/mm/yyyy |
Amount of payment
|
Field label |
Mandatory (M) Optional (O) Conditionally Mandatory (C) System populated (S) |
Format |
Possible values |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency | M | AAA | 3 letter code for currency E.g. ‘GBP’ |
| Amount | M | 10 digits | |
| Does the member have any relevant transfer funds remaining in the scheme following this payment? | M | 1 char | Y/N If field is ‘N’, then ‘Membership.fundValueAmount’ should be set to 0. |
| Type of payment | M | 1 char | P/L/A/T/O P = Pension Payment L = Lump Sum Payment A = Annuity Payment T = Transfer Payment O = Other Payment |
| Please specify the name of the scheme to which the transfer was made | C | 255 chars |
Address of scheme receiving transfer required
|
Field label |
Mandatory (M) Optional (O) Conditionally Mandatory (C) System populated (S) |
Format |
Possible values |
|---|---|---|---|
| Address line 1 | M | 35 chars | |
| Address line 2 | M | 35 chars | |
| Address line 3 | M | 35 chars | |
| Address line 4 | M | 35 chars | |
| Address line 5 | M | 35 chars | |
| Country | M | AAA | 3 letter code for country plus ‘EUR’ if it’s an EU Institution e.g. ‘GBR’ |
| Is the scheme receiving the transfer: | C | 1 char | U/Q/O U = A UK Pension Scheme Q = Another QROPS O = Other Mandatory if paymentType is ‘T’ |
| If transfer is to another UK scheme or QROPS please give their HMRC Reference | C | 35 chars | QROPSnnnnnn or nnnnnnnnRX First format must be used for QROPS reference (i.e. if receivingType is ‘Q’), where ‘n’ is any numeric digit (0-9) Second format must be used for UK pension scheme (PSTR) reference (i.e. if receivingType is ‘U’), where ‘n’ is any numeric digit (0-9); and X is an uppercase letter in the range AH, J-N, P-T or V-Z. |
| If the payment from the scheme was not a pension payment, a lump sum, an annuity or a transfer please give details of what the payment related to. If a payment has been made to a beneficiary following the death of the member, please tell us the name and address of the beneficiary |
C | 150 chars |
6.8 Problems with using the QROPS Online Service
Contact the Online Services Helpdesk if you’re:
- having a problem signing on or registering for an online service
- having problems submitting forms
- receiving error messages in your online account or on HMRC forms