Paye tools - how to report zero salary?

[Estimator]

Like many people on this forum I am a sole director/ employee Ltd company and have been trading many years, doing my own payroll every month using paye tools.
Recently I took a position with a large company who want me full time 'on the books' as a regular employee of theirs at their head office for the next 6 months at least. They wouldn't take me on a self employed basis so I was happy to receive their generous salary anyway.
This now means my company is under wraps as I have no spare time to run it, though it will come back to life in the future.
So the question is - no money coming into the business, just a few quid remaining in the bank account to cover bank/filing charges and I don't need to take a salary from it, but I am keen to keep my PAYE 'on radar' for when I return. Do I:
a. Continue submitting a FPS as usual every month but with zero in the pay amount (is that allowed?)
b. Submit an EPS covering the months I am 'away'.
Would appreciate any advice. My main concern is to keep the PAYE scheme 'live' and do it correctly and not to get into any unecessary correspondence with HMRC or incur fines etc.

 

[ffox]

Launch Basic PAYE Tools > Open the scheme for your business > select Periods with No Payment to Employees > Select Add A Period with no Payment Employees > enter the start date and the end date and submit the EPS.

Hope this helps

 

[Newchodge]

Or dismiss yourself, close payroll and re-open when necessary. Takes no effort with decent software, but Basic is basic so I am not sure. The RTI notifies payroll closing, issuing a new RTI re-opens it.

 

[Estimator]

Thanks ffox, done that, although for the April 'non payment' as it is current/past month I had to do that seperately.
For future months you can specify a block as long as they are in this tax year.