Business operators and self-employed people are responsible for their own HMRC Tax Returns, the Returns must be completed and submitted in time, that is to say by the due day, failure to do so will result in a fine and/or interest being charged, and ultimately legal proceedings being taken against them in the case of non-payment.
People have come up with some very entertaining and inventive excuses for being late in the hope of avoiding a penalty or having one overturned. Here are a few:
My pet dog ate my tax return. ‘Hungry dog eats paper’, did it only eat tax returns or did it consume all of the reminders? Did the dog survive?
I was up a mountain in Wales where there are no post boxes and no internet connections. ‘Mountain dweller fined for late submission of tax return’.
I fell in with the wrong crowd. Sounds interesting, do tell us more?
I’ve been travelling the World, trying to escape from a foreign intelligence agency. Unfortunately for this individual the HMRC is very intelligent and has no sense of humour.
Barack Obama is in charge of my finances. This guy needs an accountant, and a psychiatrist.
I’ve been busy looking after a flock of escaped parrots and some fox cubs. And, bats in the belfry.
A work colleague borrowed my Tax return to photocopy it, and didn’t give it back. Maybe they will get to share a cell, none compliance with HMRC is potentially a serious business.
I live in a Campervan in a Supermarket car park. Maybe he wants Nectar points on his Tax payment?
My girlfriend is pregnant. When he gets out of jail he will have two people who still love him?
I was in Australia. Sad, all those Aussies with no internet connection.
Whilst these excuses are funny, and they are genuine by the way, they are not recommended so please don’t try them.
To all the regular sensible people of Durham registration for Self-Assessment is due by 5th October 2016. Just a friendly reminder to our many hard working self-employed and business owning friends.
