HMRC issuing late penalties for UK tax returns submitted on time

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It has come to light that the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has inadvertently issued late penalty notices to expatriates for their 2022/23 UK tax returns which were due online by 31 January 2024.

This discrepancy has raised concerns among the expatriate community, especially among those who diligently submitted their tax returns on time, only to be met with unexpected penalty notices.The issue appears to stem from intermittent errors within HMRC’s system, which have led to the wrongful issuance of penalties.

Such errors not only cause undue stress and financial strain on the individuals affected but also call into question the reliability of the system currently in place for tracking and processing tax returns.

For those unsure of how to proceed after receiving a penalty notice, it’s recommended to review the notice carefully, gather all relevant documentation proving the timely submission of your tax return and dispute it with HMRC. We can help with appealing your penalty & ensuring the right data are in the systems.

You can contact us for help.

This situation also serves as a reminder of the importance of keeping detailed records of tax return submissions, as we do for all our clients, including confirmation emails or any other correspondence with HMRC, as these documents can be crucial in disputing unwarranted penalties.

As we await further updates from HMRC regarding this issue, we would like to hear from you if you have been impacted by this issue so we can understand the scale of the issue.

Contact us for help & guidance.

Take the stress out of tax with our annual tax return service, buy here. Still got questions? Contact us.