HMRC’s Bizarre Self-Assessment Helpline Saga Rumbles On

HMRC is fast becoming a laughing stock with their self-assessment phone helpline shenanigans!  Not only did they close it to most of their customers during their peak time for the service, in doing so shunning over 4m self-employed people, they announced a total closure of the helpline between 8 April – 30 September 2024. Now […]

Huge Increase In Tax Returns Submitted On Christmas Day

HMRC reveals that 4,757 customers submitted their self assessment tax return on Christmas Day 2023, a 45% increase compared to the same date in 2022. A day traditionally dominated by eating, drinking, and exchanging gifts saw a perhaps surprising number of customers also find time to go online and complete the essential job of filing […]

Once Again HMRC Decides Not To Answer Their Phones!

Once again self-employed people are de-prioritised and mistreated by HMRC. In a shocking disregard for their ‘customers’, and with no prior warning, HMRC has announced that the majority of self-assessment helpline callers will be redirected to resolve their own queries themselves online.  Instead of providing the full and proper helpline service that we’ve come to […]

£67 Million Paid Via HMRC’s Self Assessment App

Almost 65,000 people have paid their self assessment bills, totalling nearly £67 million, via the HMRC app since April 2022 according to latest figures.  In December 2022, 14,170 individuals paid via the app – the highest number of app payments in one month since the facility was launched in February 2022. The Self Assessment deadline for […]

Christmas Day – Perfect Timing For Tax!

As millions of people enjoyed Christmas Day festivities in 2022, it was the perfect time for 3,275 people to file their Self Assessment tax return, HMRC has revealed. A total of 22,060 customers went online to submit their self assessment for the 2021 to 2022 tax year between 24 and 26 December 2022, and 141 […]

Self Assessment Late Payment Costs Increase

As HMRC interest rates are linked to the Bank of England base rate, the increase in the base rate from 0.25% to 0.5% on 3 February 2022 has triggered an increase in rates for late payments. HMRC have confirmed that late payment interest rates will increase from 21 February 2022. This means that anyone that […]

Don’t Be Fooled By Self Assessment Deadline ‘Extension’

HMRC has announced that they are giving “self assessment taxpayers more time to ease COVID-19 pressures” and the date of 28 February 2022 is being suggested as a newly extended deadline to submit your tax returns by.  (Instead of the usual deadline of 31 January.) However, please don’t be fooled by the inaccurate headlines that […]