The number of returns was down though compared with 2022-23, with 11,509,810 returns received on time for the 2023-24 tax year, down from 11,581,962, but HMRC can still raise around £110m from recalcitrant taxpayers with 9.5% of liable individuals missing the 31 January deadline.

Marking a significant move towards full digitalisation of tax returns, 97.4% of returns were filed online, leaving less than 304,000 paper returns filed for the whole year. This figure has been in decline for a number of years.

The number of people who filed their return on deadline day was 732,498, with the most common time being 16:00 to 16:59 when 58,517 people filed. Thousands left submitting their return until the very last minute when 31,442 filed between 23:00 and 23:59.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s director general for customer services, said: ‘Thank you to the millions of people and agents who filed their self assessment tax return and paid any tax owed by 31 January.

‘I’m urging anyone who missed the deadline, to submit their return as soon as possible to avoid any further penalties.’

HMRC is urging anyone who has missed the deadline to file their tax return as soon as possible and pay any tax owed. One of the quickest ways to pay is via the free and secure HMRC app. 

Time to Pay arrangements are available for those who cannot pay their tax bill in full.

Late filing and late payment penalties are charged for failure to meet the deadline, and these can esclatate quickly, particularly as HMRC charges 7.25% on late payments.

The penalties for filing a tax return late are:

• an initial £100 fixed penalty, which applies even if there is no tax to pay, or if the tax due is paid on time;
• after three months, additional daily penalties of £10 per day, up to a maximum of £900;
• after six months, a further penalty of 5% of the tax due or £300, whichever is greater; and
• after 12 months, another 5% or £300 charge, whichever is greater.

There are also additional penalties for paying late - 5% of the tax unpaid at 30 days, six months and 12 months. Interest will also be charged on any tax paid late.

Barclays IT outage hits taxpayers on deadline day | 3 Feb 2025