Millions of taxpayers filed their Self Assessment tax return for the 2024 to 2025 tax year by the deadline.
- 97.25% of tax returns were filed online.
- 11.48 million people filed their Self Assessment tax returns by 31 January.
- Anyone who missed the deadline should file their return and pay any tax owed as soon as possible.
More than 11.48 million people beat the deadline and filed their Self Assessment tax return for the 2024 to 2025 tax year by 31 January, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) can reveal.
There were 475,722 taxpayers who waited until the final day to file their return. On the day:
- 27,456 people submitted theirs in the final hour (23:00 to 23:59)
- the busiest hour for submitting a return was 17:00 to 17:59, when 32,982 people filed
- HMRC advisers handled 5,409 webchats and 10,483 calls to the helplines which, unusually, were opened on a Saturday to provide extra support to customers on the deadline day
More than 12 million Self Assessment customers were expected to file a tax return and pay any tax owed for the 2024 to 2025 tax year by 31 January. Anyone who needs to file a return and missed the deadline should meet their tax obligations as soon as possible, as late filing and late payment penalties are charged.
Customers can file their tax return now and pay any tax owed via GOV.UK. One of the quickest ways to pay is via the HMRC app . Time to Pay arrangements are available for those who cannot pay their tax bill in full, if they meet the relevant criteria. A full list of payment options is available on GOV.UK.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC's Chief Customer Officer, said:
Thank you to the millions of people and agents who filed their Self Assessment tax return and paid any tax owed by 31 January. Anyone who missed the deadline should file their return as soon as possible, as penalties and late payment interest may be charged. HMRC digital channels are always the quickest and easiest way for people to sort their tax affairs. Search 'Self Assessment' on GOV.UK to find out more.
The penalties for filing a tax return late are:
- an initial £100 fixed penalty, which applies even if there is no tax to pay, or if the tax due is paid on time
- after 3 months, additional daily penalties of £10 per day, up to a maximum of £900
- after 6 months, a further penalty of 5% of the tax due or £300, whichever is greater
- after 12 months, another 5% or £300 charge, whichever is greater
There are also additional penalties for paying late - 5% of the tax unpaid at 30 days, 6 months and 12 months. Interest will also be charged on any tax paid late.
Customers will be able to file their Self Assessment tax return for the 2025 to 2026 tax year from 6 April 2026.
