5.4 million yet to file their tax return

With less than a month to go, the countdown is on for 5.4 million customers who still need to complete and pay their Self Assessment and avoid penalties, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) warns. 

Thousands of taxpayers have already done so by completing their tax returns before the fizz was barely flat on New Year’s Day. HMRC can now reveal more than 24,800 people filed on 1 January. A further 38,000 had even squeezed theirs in before the bells on 31 December, with 310 filing between 23:00 and 23:59. 

Filing your tax return and paying on time plays an important role in supporting public services and the government’s Plan for Change, which is delivering economic stability and investment across the UK. Anyone who is yet to file their tax return can do so online, via GOV.UK. 

Anyone required to file a tax return for the 2023 to 2024 tax year who misses the 31 January 2025 deadline could face an initial late filing penalty of £100. 

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: "We know completing your tax return isn’t the most exciting item on your New Year to-do list, but it’s important to file and pay on time to avoid penalties or being charged interest. 

"The quickest and easiest way to complete your tax return and pay any tax owed is to use HMRC’s online services – go to GOV.UK and search ‘Self Assessment’ to get started now."

Some 97% of customers now file online and one benefit is that they don’t have to complete it all in one go – they can save what they have done and pick it up again later.  

Once a tax return is filed, payments can also be made quickly and securely through the HMRC app. Customers can set up notifications in the app to remind them when payments are due, so they don’t need to worry about missing deadlines or penalties. Information about the different ways to pay, can be found on GOV.UK.