Construction Industry Scheme (CIS)

Single Payment
Deduction Statement
CIS Single Payment Deduction Statement ScreenshotPrice: €3
BUY TEMPLATE		 Multi Payment
Deduction Statement
CIS payment and deduction statement screenshotPrice: €3
BUY TEMPLATE		 Yearly Set Off
Statement
CIS Yearly Set Off Statement Template ScreenshotPrice: €3
BUY TEMPLATE		 Contractor CIS
Record Book
Contractor CIS Record Book ScreenshotPrice: €6
BUY TEMPLATE

CIS Articles:

  1. CIS – BASICS
  2. CIS – Contractor’s Duties
  3. CIS – Contractor – How to file CIS return online
  4. CIS – Subcontractor’s Duties
  5. CIS – Templates
Updated on 3 May 2022
Used abbreviations
CIS Construction Industry Scheme
UK and NI United Kingdom and Northern Ireland
HMRC HM Revenue & Customs – Tax office in the UK and NI

What is CIS?

Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) is a tax deduction system, which applies in the construction industry.

The CIS scheme has similar logic as PAYE system where Employer deduct tax from Employee’s gross salary and pay him only net pay. In CIS system we have “Contractor” (who represents Employer in PAYE system) who deduct tax from payments to “Subcontractor” (who represents Employee in PAYE system).

The deductions count as advance payments towards the subcontractor’s tax and National Insurance.

Employer is responsible to deduct tax from payments to employees and similarly contractor is responsible for correct tax deduction from payments to subcontractors.

Who is Contractor?

A Contractor is a self-employed person or a company who pays subcontractor for construction work.

Private householders are not counted as contractors, so they are exempt from CIS scheme.

Who is Subcontractor?

Subcontractor is a self-employed person or a company who carries out construction work for a contractor (client).

Contractor and Subcontractor at the same time

Many businesses can be contractors and subcontractors at the same time. Many businesses pay other businesses for construction work, but are themselves paid by other businesses too. When they are working as a contractor, they must follow the rules for contractors and when they are working as a subcontractor, they must follow the rules for subcontractors.

What is construction work?

CIS scheme covers all construction work carried out to a permanent or temporary building/structure in the UK and NI, including works as follows:

  • site preparation,
  • alterations,
  • dismantling,
  • construction,
  • repairs,
  • decorating,
  • demolition.
Source:

HM Revenue & Customs, CIS
HMRC CIS Guide, last updated in January 2022