Yahoo Finance How was Christmas for you? 10,000 people filed self-assessment tax forms
How was your Christmas, do anything nice?
While keeping great auntie Beryl topped up with sherry was the biggest chore for some, for others, Christmas Day was even more dull.
Some 2,590 self-assessment forms were submitted on December 25 – while 7,655 others were completed online on Boxing Day.
And, while most of us were involved in last-minute present wrapping or getting the vegetables peeled on Christmas Eve, 6,033 self-assessments submissions were posted online.
Figures from HM Revenue & Customs show that between 11pm and midnight on December 24, 92 people were filing their forms.
They were released to coincide with the launch of a campaign to encourage workers to file early and avoid the stress and worry – and a fine – as the deadline approaches.
The “Don’t let your tax return peck away at you” adverts feature a man in a bath, or relaxing in a chair, being niggled by a duck.
MORE: Thousands of Scottish workers will pay more income tax than rest of UK
Instead of quacking, the duck repeats the word “tax”. The deadline for online self-assessment forms is January 31.
“With the deadline edging closer we want to help remind our customers to get it done so they can alleviate that niggling feeling, ensuring they can relax and not have to worry about doing their tax return,” said Angela MacDonald, HMRC’s director general for customer services.
MORE: British workers’ pay will be ‘astonishingly’ bad for decades, experts warn
About 11 million people in the UK need to file self-assessment tax returns – including those who are self-employed or who have significant savings income.
Failure to do so by January 31 incurs an automatic fine of £100 and after that, interest is charged on late payments.
