More than 31,000 Self Assessments submissions for the 2020 to 2021 tax year over the festive period.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed that 2,828 taxpayers filed their Self Assessment tax return on Christmas Day, compared to 2,700 in 2020.
For thousands, filing their tax return on 25 December has become part of their Christmas tradition, with 227 choosing to complete their Self Assessment between 12:00 and 12:59.
In total, more than 31,000 submitted their 2020 to 2021 tax return between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day – getting it in early ahead of the deadline on 31st January 2022, and most festive filers completed their return on 24th December:
- Christmas Eve: 19,802 tax returns were filed. The peak time for filing was 11:00 to 11:59 when 2,914 returns were received
- Christmas Day: 2,828 tax returns were filed. The peak time for filing was 12:00 to 12:59 when 227 returns were received
- Boxing Day: 8,641 tax returns were filed. The peak time for filing 12:00 to 12:59 when 821 returns were received
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services:
Filling in a tax return won’t have been on many people’s to-do lists for Christmas, but please don’t leave it until the end of January either. We have videos, guidance and helpsheets to support you – just search ‘Self Assessment’ on GOV.UK to find out more.
HMRC has created resources to help customers complete their tax return including a playlist on YouTube, webinars and helpsheets and guidance available on GOV.UK.
Some Self Assessment filers may feel worried or anxious about paying any tax owed by the deadline. If they cannot pay in full, customers can set up their own Time to Pay arrangement online if they:
- have filed their 2020 to 2021 tax return
- owe less than £30,000
- are within 60 days of the payment deadline
- plan to pay their debt off within the next 12 months or less
If taxpayers owe more than £30,000, or need longer to pay, they should call the Self Assessment Payment Helpline on 0300 200 3822.
Avoid scammers
HMRC urges everyone to be alert if they are contacted out of the blue by someone asking for money or personal information. Customers should always type in the full online address http://www.gov.uk/hmrc to get the correct link for filing their Self Assessment return online securely and free of charge. HMRC sees high numbers of fraudsters emailing, calling or texting people claiming to be from the department. If in doubt, HMRC advises not to reply directly to anything suspicious, but to contact them straight away and to search GOV.UK for ‘HMRC scams’.
Previous years
The number of customers who filed their 2019 to 2020 tax returns over the festive period:
- 24th December 2020: 20,200 tax returns filed with 2,892 filing between 11:00 to 11:59
- 25th December 2020: 2,700 tax returns filed with 214 filing between 14:00 to 14:59
- 26th December 2020: 8,500 tax returns filed with 858 filing between 15:00 to 15:59
Declare COVID-19 support
Find out more about how to declare taxable COVID-19 support in your tax return if you are self-employed, in a partnership or run a business.
First time self assessment?
If this is the first time completing an online tax return, you may be asked additional questions to prove identity. Have as many of the following to hand where relevant, when making your claim:
- UK passport
- Northern Ireland (DVA – issued) driving licence
- information held on the credit file (such as loans, credit cards or mortgages)
- Self Assessment tax return (within the last 3 years)
- tax credit claim
- P60
- one of 3 most recent payslips
PAYadvice.UK 30/12/2021
