Over 1 Million Face £100 HMRC Fine After Missing Tax Deadline
Over 1.1 million people missed the tax return deadline, facing £100 fines. Some may avoid penalties with valid excuses.
UK, HMRC, Tax, Fines, Deadline, Self-Assessment
London: A total of 1.1 million people missed the tax return deadline. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) estimates this number. They now face a fine of at least £100. This penalty is for missing the deadline on January 31.
Some people might avoid the fine with a valid excuse. HMRC lists examples like a death in the family or an unexpected hospital stay. These situations can help justify late filing.
HMRC reports that over 11.5 million people completed their self-assessment. Interestingly, 31,000 of them finished just before the deadline. Those who need to file include the self-employed and anyone with multiple income sources.
Tax payments must also be organized. However, late payment penalties start on March 1. If you miss the midnight deadline on January 31, 2025, you’ll face a £100 fine for returns submitted up to three months late.
Alastair Douglas from TotallyMoney said HMRC fines taxpayers £100 right at midnight. After that, there’s a three-month grace period. Then, daily penalties of £10 kick in, up to a maximum of £900.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s director general for customer services, urges anyone who missed the deadline to file quickly. This helps avoid further penalties.
Fines can be appealed by filling out a form or writing to HMRC. However, this can only happen after completing the self-assessment.
Recently, HMRC denied claims from MPs that it was lowering phone service standards. Chief executive Jim Harra called these claims “completely baseless.”