TaxAssist Accountants
0800 0523 5550800 0523 555

HMRC adopts lenient approach to late tax returns

Date: 4th February 2008

The malfunction of the online filing system for self assessment tax returns has meant that taxpayers will not be penalised for submitting their details late, it has emerged.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) was forced to extend the deadline to midnight on Friday February 1st after its website crashed on Thursday, with hundreds of thousands of people rushing to file their returns in time.

The tax body has now revealed that people who completed the process over the weekend will also be spared the £100 penalty due to the technical problems, the BBC reports.

Adrian Huston, a tax consultant based in Belfast, told the news provider that HMRC should consider new ways of preventing the last-minute rush to file tax returns before the deadline.

Speaking about the need for increased investment in the online filing system, he added: "The only other thing they can do is offer people an incentive to file earlier."

According to figures from HMRC, 5,851 people filed tax details on Saturday, with 1,337 completing their returns on Sunday.

The Times commented on Friday that the failure of the online filing system was another setback for the government's "ambitions to computerise public services".

ADNFCR-1448-ID-18453093-ADNFCR



Related Articles

1st February 2008 - Website crashes as tax returns flood in
31st January 2008 - Small businesses 'missing tax return deadline'
31st January 2008 - Online filing totally secure, says HMRC
30th January 2008 - 'Still time' for late tax return filers
28th January 2008 - HMRC questioned over 'two-tier' filing system


0800 0523 555 TaxAssist Accountants Locations Map

Newsletter for Small Business

Join our newsletter and receive tax news every month suitable for small businesses.

Testimonials

View all »

Over the past 10 years we believed that if we wanted outstanding service we should use traditional large accountancy firms. Oh how wrong we had been! We had been charged high fees without any real value being added to the business.
DAVE THOMAS
Bluegrass Consultancy Ltd

Recommend to a Friend

Think that we can help someone you know? Use our recommend a friend service to tell them about us.

bookmark this page digg furl stumble delicious
© 2010 TaxAssist Accountants. All Rights Reserved. Crafted Media Ltd TaxAssist Accountants Buy Local Campaign TaxAssist Accountants Supports Round Table Childrens Wish