Crash Extends Tax Deadline

Small Business News

"Technical Difficulties" crash the Tax website and delay self-assessment submissions.

Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC) suffered a few "technical difficulties" with their online tax retrurns service this morning. Reports say that the whole system was down for some time and that clients have been unable to log-in for hours, some even noting down-time on Wednesday.

HMRC have put the problem down to huge demand for their online service - basically too many people were trying to log on at the same time and their system couldn't handle it.

Normally late returns would be subject to a fine but, due to the unusual circumstances, HMRC have made concessions.

Self-assessment tax forms were due in my midnight today but, as a result of the lack of service, HMRC have pushed the deadline back by 24 hours; Anyone who files their self-assessment tax return form before midnight on Friday 1st Feb will not be penalised.

Normally HMRC would fine late submissions £100 and charge interest.

Last year around 150,000 tax returns were filed on the last deadline day.

Over 3 million online returns have been filed so far and the HMRC were expecting over 100,000 online returns today.