A record 11.7 million customers submitted their tax returns on time, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed.
On 31 January, 861,085 customers filed online to meet the deadline, some with minutes to spare. There were 36,767 customers who filed in the last hour before the deadline, but the peak hour for filing on the day was 16:00 and 16:59, when 68,462 customers submitted their tax return.
More than 12 million customers were expected to file a Self Assessment tax return for the 2021 to 2022 tax year. HMRC is urging customers who missed the deadline to submit theirs as soon as possible or risk facing a penalty.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said:
“Thank you to the millions of customers and agents who got their tax returns in on time. Customers who have yet to file, and who are concerned that they will not be able to pay in full, may be able to spread the cost of what they owe with a payment plan.”
The Self Assessment payment deadline was also 31 January. If customers are yet to pay any outstanding tax, HMRC is urging them to do so as soon as possible.