Some 4,757 taxpayers filed their Self Assessment tax return on Christmas Day, according to HMRC. The tax authority said “a surprising number” of taxpayers filed online ahead of the 31 January 2024 deadline.
Over the three-day festive period, 25,769 customers submitted their tax return, an increase on the same period last year, with 8,876 filing on Christmas Eve and 12,136 on Boxing Day. The peak time was between noon and 12:59 on Boxing Day, when 1,121 returns were received by HMRC.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “Our Christmas Day filers proved that there is no time like the present to get started on Self Assessment, and with our online tool it can be a simple task that’s easy to fit around other festive commitments.”
Taxpayers can submit their tax return online, but they do not have to pay until 31 January 2024. However, those who file before 30 December may have the option of paying any tax owed through their PAYE tax code.
HMRC said that if a taxpayer cannot pay in full by the deadline, they may be able to set up a Time to Pay arrangement online if the amount owed is less than £30,000. There is a new affordability assessment for customers to enter their income and spending to calculate disposable income and set up an affordable payment plan, it added.
The breakdown of figures for those who opted to file during the festive period are:
• Christmas Eve: 8,876 tax returns were filed. The peak time for filing was between noon and 12:59, when 850 returns were received.
• Christmas Day: 4,757 tax returns were filed. The peak time for filing was between noon and 12:59, when 402 returns were received.
• Boxing Day: 12,136 tax returns were filed. The peak time for filing was between noon and 12:59, when 1,121 returns were received.
