There will be no extra charges over self-assessment tax returns submitted online during the first two days of February, according to the HM Revenue and Customs. The official deadline was set on January 31 but due to a strike scheduled that day, there may be a last minute disruption, hence the extra two days.
There are over two million people who are expected to file their returns through the website.
There was a change in the process after an announcement that there might be leniency due to the strike.
PCS, the public sector union, will hold a strike against the decision to have private companies execute some call trials in two call centres.
“This strike could have caused thousands of people to incur fines, so I am pleased that HMRC has taken this common sense approach,” said David Gauke, exchequer secretary to the Treasury.
The HMRC is going to begin a new and tougher system of fines this 2012. There will be a £100 fine for those who cannot file their forms whether there are taxes owed or not. Penalties can increase over the subsequent months if a form has not been submitted. For those who forget to file their forms after six months, they are bound to pay £1,300 and then £1,600 after twelve months.
According to Stephen Banyard who is the acting director of general personal tax of the HMRC, “We have always been very clear that we want the returns – not the penalties. For that reason, we do not want anyone who cannot get through for help and advice on 31 January to be disadvantaged in any way.”
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