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Millions of people across the UK, including many in North Belfast, successfully filed their Self Assessment tax returns by the January 31st deadline for the 2024-2025 tax year. For those who may have missed it, it's vital to file and pay any outstanding tax as soon as possible to avoid increasing penalties.
2026/02/04
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has announced that over 11.48 million individuals successfully filed their Self Assessment tax returns for the 2024-2025 tax year by the recent January 31st deadline. This impressive number represents 97.25% of all returns filed online.
Remarkably, 475,722 taxpayers left it until the very last day to submit their returns. The busiest hour for filings on deadline day was between 5 PM and 5:59 PM, seeing 32,982 submissions, with another 27,456 scrambling to file in the final hour before midnight. HMRC's helplines and webchats also saw significant activity, with advisers handling thousands of queries.
Around 12 million Self Assessment customers were expected to file a tax return and pay any tax owed. If you're a North Belfast resident who needed to file and missed the January 31st deadline, it's crucial to act quickly. Late filing and late payment penalties will be charged, so the sooner you meet your tax obligations, the better.
You can file your tax return and pay any tax owed via GOV.UK. The HMRC app offers one of the quickest ways to pay. For those who genuinely cannot pay their tax bill in full, 'Time to Pay' arrangements might be available if you meet the specific criteria. A comprehensive list of payment options is available on GOV.UK.
Penalties for late filing include:
An initial £100 fixed penalty, even if no tax is due or paid on time.
After 3 months, additional daily penalties of £10, up to a maximum of £900.
After 6 months, a further penalty of 5% of the tax due or £300 (whichever is greater).
After 12 months, another 5% or £300 charge (whichever is greater).
Penalties for paying late also apply:
5% of the tax unpaid at 30 days.
Another 5% at 6 months.
Another 5% at 12 months.
Interest will also be charged on any tax paid late. To find out more about Self Assessment and how to rectify a missed deadline, search 'Self Assessment' on GOV.UK. Looking ahead, filing for the 2025-2026 tax year will open from April 6, 2026.