Turkey, TV and tax returns at Christmas

Lanarkshire residents were among the nearly 3000 people who filed their self assessment tax return on Christmas Day.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed the statistics that show 2828 customers interrupted their festive celebrations to carry out the activity – compared to 2700 in 2020.

For thousands of people, filing their tax return on December 25 has become part of their Christmas tradition, with 227 choosing to complete their self assessment between midday and 1am.

In total, more than 31,000 customers submitted their 2020/21 tax return between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day – getting it in early ahead of the deadline on January 31 – and most festive filers completed their return on Christmas Eve.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’S director general for customer services, told the Advertiser: “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 online

Some self assessment customers 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 2020/21 tax return, owe less than £30,000, are within 60 days of the payment deadline or plan to pay their debt off within the next 12 months or less.

If Monklands customers owe more than £30,000, or need longer to pay, they should call the Self Assessment Payment Helpline on 0300 200 3822.

HMRC also 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 – 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 search GOV. UK for “HMRC scams”.