HMRC's list of 'reasonable excuses' it will accept for missing last week's tax deadline

Anyone who missed a crucial HMRC tax deadline last week could be in line for a £100 fine - unless they’ve got a good excuse.

The deadline for submitting Self Assessment tax forms was 11.59pm on Friday, January 31.

Anyone who is supposed to submit a form but didn’t could be slapped with a £100 fine. And this will increase every three, six, and 12 months if it isn’t paid.

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just the self-employed who need to fill in self-assessment forms.

'Reasonable excuses'

However, HMRC does have a list of “reasonable excuses” it will accept for those who missed the deadline. These are:

  • Your partner or another close relative died shortly before the tax return or payment deadline;
  • You had an unexpected stay in hospital that prevented you from dealing with your tax affairs;
  • You had a serious or life-threatening illness;
  • Your computer or software failed while you were preparing your online return;
  • Issues with HMRC online services;
  • A fire, flood, or theft prevented you from completing your tax return;
  • Postal delays that you could not have predicted;
  • Delays related to a disability or mental illness you have;
  • You were unaware of or misunderstood your legal obligation;
  • You relied on someone else to send your return, and they did not.

If any of these apply you must let HMRC know within 30 days of receiving a fine - if this deadline is missed, you will need to explain why. For more information click here.