News

£1.5 million people haven’t yet filed their Self Assessment tax returns as today’s deadline looms. 

Anyone who missed the filing deadline – 31 January – will receive a £100 penalty notice even if they have no tax to pay or if any tax due has been paid.

Anyone who has not filed their return and paid all tax due will be fined a further £10 a day after the end of April. After another three months, late filers will incur a further penalty of 5% of the tax due, with a minimum of £300. This penalty will be repeated after a further nine months.

Higher-earning parents who claimed child benefit between January 2013 and April 2013 also risk a fine if they fail to file what may be their first Self Assessment. HMRC says that since August 2012, at least 3 letters have been sent to those affected.

Anyone who has failed to register for Self Assessment who should file a return may also be liable for a ‘failure-to-notify’ penalty, assessed on a case-by-case basis.

However, if you think you have a ‘reasonable’ excuse for not filing your return you can appeal against HMRC’s decision. Examples of ‘reasonable’ excuses include a life threatening illness, the death of a partner and important documents lost through theft, fire or flood.

In addition, anyone waiting for an activation code from HMRC in order to file online may find that their penalty is cancelled if they file their return within 2 weeks.

People who do not need to be in the Self Assessment scheme can opt out of it to avoid receiving fines by contacting HMRC.

For further information on Self Assessment, see www.hmrc.gov.uk/sa.

If you have concerns about any aspect of the Self Assessment scheme or late filing penalties, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01244 625 500 for further advice.