Strikes to affect self-assessment tax deadline

26/January/2012

A series of strikes by tax staff on January 31st – deadline for self-assessors – is set to disrupt the end of the application window.

However, the taxman has conceded it will deal leniently with taxpayers who face fines.

It is thought that millions of people are yet to submit their self-assessment tax returns – which must now be done online – by the deadline.

But some staff from the tax authority will strike on deadline day, against allegations the government has hired two private firms to run call handling at HMRC tax credit contact centres.

Given a potential last-minute rush to submit returns and make queries and a lack of staff on hand – last year around 90,000 people tried to phone HMRC call centres on January 31st – people may decide they cannot complete their forms on time.

This year, late filers face an initial fine of £100 – whether or not there is tax owed – in a change to HMRC's charging structure.

A HMRC spokesman intimated to the BBC that the penalty could be waived.

"In all goodness and fairness, we won't be able to charge them," the person said.