Tue, 03 Feb 2026

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 One million people miss HMRC tax return deadline

The UK's tax authority says 27,456 people filed in the final hour before the cut-off at the end of Saturday.

* An estimated 1 million people missed the deadline to file their tax return and now face a £100 penalty.
* HMRC received 475,722 submissions on the final day, with the busiest hour being from 17:00 GMT on Saturday.
* The UK's tax authority warns that those who missed the deadline should file as soon as possible to avoid further penalties and interest.
* Anyone appealing against a fine may be able to avoid paying it if they have a reasonable excuse, but experts advise still paying the initial penalty to avoid interest charges.
* Those with a payment plan in place can still set up a new plan to get back on track.
* HMRC considers customers' reasons for missing the deadline and may waive penalties if a customer has a valid reason.
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