Almost 65,000 customers use HMRC app to pay their Self Assessment bill

Almost 65,000 customers have paid their Self Assessment bills, totalling nearly £67 million, via the HMRC app since April 2022, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed.

In December 2022, 14,170 customers paid via the app – the highest number of app payments in one month since the facility was launched in February 2022.

The Self Assessment deadline for the 2021 to 2022 tax year is 31 January and HMRC is urging customers not to delay completing their tax return and paying any tax owed. For customers who need some extra help with their tax return, there are a wide range of resources available to help them complete it, including guidance online, webinars and YouTube videos.

Customers are encouraged to check online for help before calling HMRC during what is the busiest time of the year. The HMRC app is a quick, free and secure way to view their National Insurance number, Unique Taxpayer Reference or make a payment. It only takes around 60 seconds to pay via the app.

Customers who are unable to pay what they owe in full, may be able to set up a payment plan, allowing them to spread the cost into manageable monthly instalments. Since April 2022, 45,600 Self Assessment customers have set up a Time to Pay arrangement. In December, around 10,500 customers set up a plan, totalling more than £36 million in tax.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said:

“We want to help Self Assessment customers meet their obligations and HMRC offers a range of options to help customers pay their tax return bill. To choose the option that suits them, customers can search ‘pay my Self Assessment’ on GOV.UK to find out more.”

A full range of payment options is listed on GOV.UK.

For customers who pay their current estimated tax bill via Payment on Account, the first instalment for the 2022 to 2023 tax year is due on 31 January.

Anyone who files their tax return or pays any tax owed after 31 January may face a penalty.

HMRC will treat those with genuine excuses leniently, as it focuses on those who persistently fail to complete their tax returns and deliberate tax evaders. Customers who provide HMRC with a reasonable excuse before the 31 January deadline can avoid a penalty after this date. The penalties for filing a tax return late 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 3 months, additional daily penalties of £10 per day, up to a maximum of £900
• after 6 months, a further penalty of 5% of the tax due or £300, whichever is greater
• after 12 months, another 5% or £300 charge, whichever is greater

There are also additional penalties for paying late of 5% of the tax unpaid at 30 days, 6 months and 12 months.

Customers need to be aware of the risk of falling victim to scams. Check HMRC scams advice on GOV.UK.

Notes to Editors

1. Find out more about Self Assessment.

2. A total of 64,748 people paid £66,994,304 in Self Assessment using HMRC’s app between April and December 2022.

3. A total of 45,657 people set up a Time to Pay arrangement with HMRC between 6 April 2022 and 10 January 2023.

a. This includes 10,526 Time to Pay arrangements set up to settle a total tax debt of £36,368,273 in December 2022.

4. HMRC wants to help you get your tax right. While this is the busiest time of the year for us, there’s lots of information and support you can access online without ringing us:

• HMRC’s digital assistant - the assistant will help you find information, and if you can’t what you’re looking for you can ask to speak to an adviser.
• guidance notes and help sheets and YouTube videos provide a wealth of information if you’re stuck or confused.
• live webinars where you can ask questions or if you can’t join, you can watch recorded webinars on demand.
• HMRC app and Personal Tax Account - you can instantly find your Unique Taxpayer Reference, make a Self Assessment payment, get your National Insurance number and get your employment income and history for your tax return.
• technical support for HMRC online services for help signing into online services
• email updates - subscribe to HMRC email updates so you don’t miss out on the latest information on Self Assessment.
• social media updates - follow HMRC Twitter @HMRCcustomers to get the latest updates on Self Assessment services and useful reminders. If you need extra support to help your with Self Assessment you can contact a voluntary or community sector organisation who can provide you with help and advice, or you can get support directly from HMRC.

5. If you think you are no longer required to complete an Self Assessment return, you can check if you need to send a Self Assessment tax return.

6. Customers should include their bank account details when filing, so that if HMRC needs to make a repayment, they can do so quickly and securely.

7. Customers who don’t have a Government Gateway user ID and password will need two forms of evidence to prove their identity. This can include their UK passport and UK driving licence. We are rolling out a new identity checking alternative, which lets them use the camera on their phone to confirm a match with their driving licence.

8. We’re urging customers never to share their Government Gateway user ID and password. Someone using these details could steal from them or make a fraudulent claim in their name.

9. Follow HMRC’s Press Office on Twitter @HMRCpressoffice