Sat, 31 Jan 2026

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 Phone lines stay open as tax return deadline looms

More than one million people missed the deadline a year ago, according to HM Revenue and Customs.

* HMRC has scaled up support services for self-assessment tax returns, including webchat and phone lines.
* Over 1 million people missed the deadline last year.
* Anyone who fails to file by the end of Saturday will face a £100 fine and potential further penalties.
* Digital services offer the fastest way to access support on Saturday.
* Webchat capacity is being increased to 10 times its usual level, with phone lines open from 09:00-16:00 GMT.
* Millions of people who are self-employed or have multiple sources of income must file a tax return by January 31.
* Those required to file must also pay any tax bill by the deadline.
* Anyone unable to pay in full may be able to set up a "time to pay" arrangement online.
* Penalties for missing the filing deadline include an automatic £100 fine, with potential further penalties for those without a reasonable excuse.
* HMRC is urging people to watch out for scams, with criminals attempting to dupe taxpayers by purporting to be from HMRC.
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