It is important to note that the individual taxpayer is responsible for registering for self assessment, not HMRC, so do not expect to receive a notification or reminder that registration is required.

Anyone who needs to complete a self assessment tax return, both online and on paper, for the first time to cover the 2023 to 2024 tax year, should tell HMRC by 5 October 2024.

There are plenty of myths about who needs to file a self assessment return before the 31 January 2025 deadline and HMRC debunks some of the most common ones.

Myth 1: ‘HMRC hasn’t been in touch, so I don’t need to file a tax return’