605k people miss tax return deadline

More than double the number of taxpayers have failed to file their self assessment tax return on time this year, despite 11.5m filers managing to remember tax d-day 

HMRC has confirmed that 605,849 taxpayers missed the 31 January self assessment deadline, while 11,581,962 taxpayers submitted their tax returns for the 2022-23 tax year by the midnight deadline on 31 January. 

This figure was down on last year’s 11,733,465 completed and timely tax returns when only 300,000 people missed the annual filing deadline. This year, HMRC estimated that more than 12.1 m taxpayers were expected to file a tax return and pay any tax owed. Anyone who files late will be given a £100 automatic penalty. 

The self assessment payment deadline was also 31 January, and anyone with outstanding tax to pay should do so as soon as possible as HMRC charges interest on late payments at 7.75%. 

Anyone not able to pay can try to set up a Time to Pay payment plan with HMRC. 

Of those that met their obligations by the deadline, 778,068 waited until the last moment to complete their return on 31 January, including 32,958 taxpayers who filed between 23:00 and 23:59, while 61,549 filed between 16:00 and 16:59 – the peak hour for filing. 

Dawn Register, head of tax dispute resolution at BDO said: ‘The higher number of people being required to file a tax return for the 22-23 tax year is likely to have led to a rise in the numbers of people filing late. 

‘We would encourage HMRC to do more to support people to be compliant and get their tax right first time.’ 

Remember that the phone helplines are not available so anyone with questions will have to use HMRC's webchat and online services. 

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s director general for customer services, said: ‘Thank you to the millions of self assessment customers and agents who met the deadline. Anyone who has yet to file and is concerned that they cannot pay in full may be able to spread the cost of what they owe with a payment plan. Search ‘pay your self assessment’ on gov.uk to find out more.’ 

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