Many happy returns of the season

While millions of people were exchanging presents, feasting on turkey, and nodding off in front of the television, 1,548 people decided to take time out from the yuletide festivities and do their tax return online – a 40 per cent increase on Christmas Day 2011, when 1,100 people filed online.

In the festive build-up, Christmas Eve was also very popular compared to last year, with 14,330 people sending an online tax return on 24 December 2012 – more than treble the 2011 total of 4,115 (a 248 per cent increase). Of these Christmas Eve filers, 73 sent a return online between 11pm and midnight (compared to 44 in 2011).

And on Boxing Day, while revellers up and down the land were visiting loved ones, attending sporting fixtures or snacking on turkey leftovers, 4,685 people decided to sit down at their computers, dig out their bank statements and P60s, and send their tax return over the internet. This represents a 33 per cent increase on Boxing Day 2011, which saw 3,512 people file online.

A new HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) advertising campaign starts this week, urging anyone who still hasn’t sent in their 2011-12 tax return to “do it today, pay what you owe and take a load off your mind”, so they can experience “inner peace” – something that the 20,563 Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day filers are no doubt feeling already.

The ads form part of HMRC’s efforts to encourage the 10.6 million people in Self Assessment to submit their return online, and pay the tax they owe, by the 31 January deadline.

If you haven’t sent in your 2011-12 tax return, and want more information on how to find inner peace, you should visit www.hmrc.gov.uk/sa or call the Self Assessment helpline on 0845 9000 444.

Notes for editors

Images of the new “inner peace” ads, as well as infographics on last year’s filing trends, are available from HMRC’s Flikr channel at http://www.flickr.com/hmrcgovuk

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 5 per cent of the tax due or £300, whichever is greater; and
  
• after 12 months, another 5 per cent or £300 charge, whichever is greater.
  

There are also additional penalties for paying late of 5 per cent of the tax unpaid at: 30 days; six months; and 12 months.