Retailers have been urged to update their payment and contact details by HMRC as it migrates to a digital VAT returns system.

The process began last month and will be finished by September this year. It will affect VAT-registered businesses that are not signed up to Making Tax Digital and taxpayers who pay quarterly VAT bills by direct debit.

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HMRC cannot predict when tax accounts will be moved to the platform. If the obligation to file a VAT return is still there, the change has not yet occurred. HMRC will have to cancel the direct debits of taxpayers for whom it does not hold an email address before moving to the new system, but those affected will be sent a letter.

Stores are advised to login to tax accounts, reset direct debits and give a contact email address.