It’s that time of year again. No, not the end of dry January, but the yearly update from HMRC on the worst excuses they received from people who failed to submit their tax return on time.
We’ll leave you to make up your mind as to which, if any, are genuine:
- I couldn’t file my return on time as my wife has been seeing aliens and won’t let me enter the house
- I’ve been far too busy touring the country with my one-man play
- My ex-wife left my tax return upstairs, but I suffer from vertigo and can’t go upstairs to retrieve it
- My business doesn’t really do anything
- I spilt coffee on it
So what does count as a reasonable excuse?
Just so there’s no doubt as to what can get you off a missed deadline, HMRC outline acceptable reasons for not submitting your tax return before the due date. And none of them involve vertigo or treading the boards:
- The death of a close relative or partner shortly before the deadline
- An unexpected stay in hospital
- A serious or life-threatening illness
- Computer or software failure
- Online service issues
- A fire, flood or theft
- Unpredictable postal delays
- Delays due to a disability
While the Chartered brokers at Hine Insurance can’t help with your tax return, we can help lighten the load on your insurance.
If you’re self-employed and have an office in your spare room it’s important to make sure any equipment you use or stock you house is protected by the right insurance.
Call the team on 0161 438 0000 to see how we can help ensure you’re covered.
