More than 3,000 taxpayers filed Self-Assessment returns on Christmas Day

Taxpayers to complete Self Assessment before deadline

Completing a tax return may not have been on the top of your to-do list on Christmas Day, but that didn’t stop more than 3,000 taxpayers from filing their Self-Assessment returns on 25 December, according to HM Revenue & Customs.

This year, the peak time was between 12noon and 12.59pm, when more than 245 customers filed.

Angela MacDonald, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “Whether you squeezed it in before tucking into a Christmas pudding, after the Queen’s Speech or trying to grab a bargain during the festive sales; our online service is available for you to file your tax return, at any time you wish.”

More than 11 million people are expected to complete a 2018/19 Self-Assessment tax return form by this year's deadline of 31 January 2020.

The number of tax returns filed during the festive period were:

25 December (total 3,003)

• 12am – 8am: 248
• 8.01am – 4pm: 1,458
• 4.01pm – 12am: 1,297

26 December (total 9,254)

• 12am – 8am: 380
• 8.01am – 4pm: 5,115
• 4.01pm – 12am: 3,759

For anyone who is yet to start their 2018/19 Self-Assessment, HMRC have produced films and webinars to guide you through each stage of the process, with bespoke guidance for individuals’ varying circumstances.

If customers completed a Self-Assessment tax return last year but didn’t have any tax to pay, they still need to complete a 2018/19 tax return, unless HMRC has written to them to say that it is not required.

Self-Assessment guidance is available from the Self-Assessment helpline on 0300 200 3310 or online at:

• www.gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns