Taxpayers given leeway on self assessment date

22 October 2008

Taxpayers who do not submit their paper self assessment returns by the new deadline date of 31 October could still escape a penalty if they deliver the returns by hand to their tax offices before they open on 4 November.

Returns sent by post must still arrive by 31 October.

A HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) spokesman told the BBC that there has been no change to the submission date rules and that this was a clarification of its normal arrangements.

He said: “It is a little more complicated this year because of the closure of our offices at 5.00pm and no opening over the weekend. It is just that we hopefully this year have spelled it out in a much clearer way, so that there can be no doubt as to when a penalty will be charged or when an inquiry can be opened.”

However, HMRC urged taxpayers to get the returns in on time as there is no guarantee that all revenue offices will have letterboxes.

The spokesman added: “People should get their details in well before the 31st. Some of our offices don’t have letterboxes as they are shared sites with other government departments or private organisations.”

Online self assessment returns do not have to be submitted until 31 January.