don’t panic

Missed the Deadline?

Missed 31 January? Take a breath — here’s exactly what to do, and what it might cost you.

“

I’ve accidentally missed my deadline for my tax return and I’m unsure what to do. Please could you help?

— Charlotte

step one

Breathe, then file it anyway

We all make mistakes (even with 10 months to get it done!). You still must complete and submit your return the normal way — just follow the step-by-step guide. The sooner it’s in, the smaller any penalty.

the not-so-fun bit

The penalties

The deadline is 31 January (10 months after the tax year ends). Miss it and you get an automatic £100 fine — then it grows:

How late	Penalty
Up to 3 months	Automatic £100 — even if you have no tax to pay or have already paid it.
3–6 months	£10 a day for up to 90 days (max £900), on top of the £100 — so up to £1,000.
6 months	£300 or 5% of the tax due, whichever is higher — on top of the above.
12 months	Another £300 or 5% of the tax due, whichever is higher — again on top.
Over 12 months	In serious cases, up to 100% of the tax due — potentially doubling your bill.

a way out

“But I have a good excuse”

HMRC may waive the penalty for a reasonable excuse — “something that stopped you meeting a tax obligation that you took reasonable care to meet”. Examples they accept:

the death of a partner or close relative shortly before the deadline;
an unexpected hospital stay, or a serious/life-threatening illness;
computer or software failure while preparing your online return;
HMRC online service issues, unpredictable postal delays, or a fire, flood or theft;
delays related to a disability you have.

Excuses they don’t accept:

you relied on someone else to send it and they didn’t;
your payment failed because you didn’t have the money;
you found the HMRC system too hard, or didn’t get a reminder;
you made a mistake on your return.

The moral of the story: don’t leave it to the last minute but it’s far easier — and cheaper — done early.

keep reading

How to Do Your Tax Return Tax Filing Deadlines

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