Tax return deadline just days away

If you’re one of the 2.8 million people who still haven’t filed their 2012-13 tax return, you’ve only got until midnight on Friday to do it online and pay what you owe.

Returns received by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) after 31 January will result in a £100 late-filing penalty – even if you have no tax to pay, or you pay your tax on time.

The more you delay, the more you pay, as you’ll be hit with further late-filing penalties after three, six and 12 months.

Recent research by HMRC showed that taxpayers in central London were more likely to file their return late than people in any other part of the country, with one in nine (11 per cent) failing to beat the deadline. This compared with only one in 17 late filers (6 per cent) in the South West of England – the most punctual region for tax returns.

You can file your tax return for free via HMRC’s website at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/. Using a search engine to find HMRC’s online filing web pages can produce results which include third party websites that charge to file on your behalf. Therefore, if you want to file for free, type the HMRC website address into your internet browser.

HMRC’s Director General of Personal Tax, Ruth Owen, said:

“There’s not much time left, so make a start on your tax return today. Leave it too late, and you’ll be hit with a penalty.”

A short YouTube question and answer video featuring Ruth Owen can be viewed at http://youtu.be/WmDDnSAUANc

For general help and advice on completing a return, visit www.hmrc.gov.uk/sa or call the Self Assessment helpline on 0300 200 3310 (open 8.00am to 8.00pm, Monday to Friday, and from 8.00am to 4.00pm on Saturday).

Notes for editors

1.  Around 10.9 million people are expected send a tax return for the 2012-13 tax year.

2.  For further details on the research into late filing trends in the UK, see HMRC news release NAT 03/14.

3.  The penalties for late Self Assessment returns are:

·  an initial £100 fixed penalty, which applies even if there is no tax to pay, or if the tax due is paid on time;

·  after three months, additional daily penalties of £10 per day, up to a maximum of £900;

·  after six months, a further penalty of five per cent of the tax due or £300, whichever is greater; and

·  after 12 months, another five per cent or £300 charge, whichever is greater.

There are also additional penalties for paying late of five per cent of the tax unpaid at: 30 days; six months; and 12 months.