HMRC Late Tax Returns and Late Payments

The deadline for filing tax returns for the period 2013/14 has now passed and if you’ve missed it you can expect a £100 penalty.  If your return is up to three months late no further charges will be incurred during that period.

Late Tax Return Penalties:

If you fail to submit your return after the three month period has passed, then additional penalties are levied:

  • 3 months late – you will be fined £10 for each following day to a maximum of 90 days (£900), bringing your overall penalty to £1,000, which includes the original £100 late filing fee.
  • 6 months late – an additional fine of either £300 or 5% of the tax due, whichever is the higher
  • 12 months late – a further £300 or 5% of the tax due, whichever is the higher.

  Don’t delay in submitting your return any longer.  Minimise the penalties that may be levied by submitting your return as soon as possible.  

Late Tax Payment Penalties:

The deadline for paying tax for the period 2013/14 was 31st January 2015.  If you missed this deadline, you will be charged interest from the date the payment was due.  The interest does vary, so you should check HMRC’s website for up to date figures.  The penalties levied are as follows:

  • If any of your tax bill remains unpaid by 28th February 2015, you will receive a 5% surcharge
  • Should your bill still be outstanding on 31st July 2015 a further 5% is imposed on any of the bill that remains overdue.

  If you are late in making your payment, you can estimate penalties that may be due by completing the on-line calculator by following this link https://www.gov.uk/estimate-self-assessment-penalties.  

Getting Help:

If you are struggling to complete your tax return, there are various ways you can get help.  You can either instruct an accountant to help you, or you can visit the HMRC website where you will find a range of help sheets.  For more details on these, you can visit https://www.gov.uk/self-assessment-forms-and-helpsheets. Some people avoid submitting their tax returns because they can’t pay the tax due.  Our advice would be to submit the return to avoid unnecessary penalties and charges and to speak to HMRC and explain your situation.  They may be able to assist by agreeing a Time to Pay Arrangement with you which will enable you to make payments by agreed instalments. If, however, you are unable to pay your tax at all, then you need to seek professional advice from a Licenced Insolvency Practitioner.  At Lines Henry Limited we have a vast amount of experience in dealing with these type of cases.  There are options available to you, so the sooner you call to seek advice, the better.  You can call us on 0800 012 6649 (0161 929 1905 from a mobile) to see how we can help you.