31k tax returns filed over Christmas

HMRC reveals that on Christmas Eve 19,802 self-assessment tax returns were filed, down from 20,200 from last year, with the peak time for filing being 11:00-11:59. Christmas Day saw 2,828 tax returns filed, up from 2,700 in 2020, with peak time for filing being the hour after midday which saw 227 completions.

Boxing Day saw the submission of 8,641 returns with the peak time for filing being again the hour after midday which saw 821 returns. This was up from the 8,500 filed on Boxing Day last year with the peak time for filing being between 3pm and 4pm.

The overall figure is almost identical to the same period last year which saw 31,494 submissions, however, is 9% lower than the Christmas 2019 figures which saw 34,292 returns submitted.

The deadline for self assessment online filing is 31 January 2022. Late forms are liable to receive penalties of £100 per day and interest charges on sums outstanding.

HMRC’s director general for customer services Myrtle Lloyd has urged people to file their tax returns by the deadline.

Lloyd said: ‘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.’

Kevin Sefton, CEO of untied, commented: ‘This release is an important reminder to people to get their taxes sorted ahead of 31 January. We estimate that 5.67m people have yet to file, and 700,000 risk penalties by missing the deadline.’