HMRC had to extend deadline for returns
February 15, 2008
At one of the most crucial times of the year for HM Revenue and Customs – the time when tax returns have to be filed – a system failure has resulted in HMRC having to extend the deadline for filing returns slightly. The usual date for the filing of returns either online or by post is 31st January. However, technical problems meant that many taxpayers that were trying to file their returns online at the eleventh hour were unable to do so.
HMRC stated yesterday that the deadline was being extended from midnight on 31st January to midnight on 1st February, and that the revised deadline would apply to both those filing their returns online and those filing by post even though it was only the online customers that would have been affected. Those that failed to file their returns by the new deadline would be subject to fines and interest charges in the usual way, stated officials from HMRC.
In a statement HMRC said: ‘HMRC’s Self Assessment online filing service has experienced technical difficulties this morning which has meant that some tax payers have experienced difficulties filing on-line. HMRC takes any disruption of service very seriously and to reflect this no-one who files electronically or by paper by midnight Friday 1 February will face a penalty. We very much regret any inconvenience this may have caused.’
Around 3.6 million taxpayers had already filed their returns online, according to recent figures. HMRC said that there should be no further problems as the system was returning to normal. The technical problems with the HMRC system occurred early in the morning on 31st January.
Comments
Got something to say?