Missed the deadline? Get it filed now.
Filing late is stressful, but every extra week can add penalties. We prepare overdue and previous-year returns quickly, tell you what you owe, and help you deal with HMRC.
What happens when a return is late
HMRC charges an immediate £100 penalty if your Self Assessment return is late, even when no tax is due. After three months, daily penalties of £10 can build up to £900, and further penalties apply at six and twelve months.
Tax paid late also attracts interest and extra penalties. Filing sooner stops the penalties growing and lets you agree how to pay.
How we help
- Overdue returns for the current and previous years
- Records rebuilt from your bank statements and invoices
- Clear figure for tax, interest and penalties
- Help to appeal where you had a reasonable excuse
- Filing with HMRC and written confirmation
Authorised and regulated
Is Cheap Tax Returns authorised and regulated? Yes.
Your return is prepared by qualified UK accountants holding qualifications from the leading accountancy bodies: ICAEW, ACCA and AAT. We are also on the ICAEW approved employers list, so you can file with confidence.
Regulated by the professional bodies. Reviewed by qualified accountants. Part of Accotax.
Worked example
A worked example: late filing penalties
Illustrative figures for a Self Assessment return filed about four months after the 31 January deadline.
The figures
- Return filed: about 4 months late
- Tax due: £2,000
- Initial penalty: £100
- Daily penalties: about 30 days at £10
The cost
- Filing penalties: about £400
- Interest on unpaid tax: extra
- Late payment penalties: extra
- Total grows each month
What this means
- File as soon as you can
- Penalties stop growing once filed
- You can appeal with a reasonable excuse
- We can file quickly for you
In depth
Late tax returns explained
If you have missed a Self Assessment deadline, act quickly. Penalties build over time, but they stop growing once the return is filed.
What happens if my tax return is late?
You get an automatic £100 penalty one day after the deadline. After three months HMRC adds daily penalties of £10 for up to 90 days, and at six and twelve months a further charge of £300 or 5% of the tax due, whichever is higher.
Can I appeal a late filing penalty?
Yes, if you had a reasonable excuse such as serious illness, bereavement or a failure of HMRC’s online service. Appeal within 30 days of the penalty notice and explain what happened and how quickly you filed once the problem ended.
How do I file returns for years I missed?
Gather your income records and bank statements for each missing year and we prepare the returns in order, oldest first. If records are missing we reconstruct them from bank and platform data, and we deal with HMRC on your behalf.
Will HMRC charge interest on unpaid tax?
Yes. Interest runs on unpaid tax from the due date, and late payment penalties of 5% apply at 30 days, 6 months and 12 months. Filing and paying quickly keeps the total down.
Why use Cheap Tax Returns for your overdue tax return?
Cheap Tax Returns is part of Accotax, a UK accountancy practice. Our fees are fixed and quoted in writing before we start, the work is prepared by an accountant and checked before filing, and we work online with clients anywhere in the UK. Our team holds ICAEW, ACCA and AAT credentials. For a free quote call 0203 4411 258 or email [email protected].
At a glance
Late tax return penalties and what to do now
Penalty ladder
- £100 if the return is filed up to 3 months late
- After 3 months, £10 a day for up to 90 days (maximum £900)
- At 6 and 12 months, the higher of £300 or 5% of the tax due
- Late payment penalties and interest are charged on top
What to do now
- Find your UTR and Government Gateway details
- Gather income and expense records
- Tell us which years are outstanding
- We file and agree any payment plan
Records we need
- Bank statements for the missing years
- Sales invoices and expense receipts
- P60s, P45s and CIS statements
- Rental and investment income summaries
Questions, answered.
Yes. HMRC accepts overdue returns and we can prepare several years together.
The £100 late filing penalty is automatic, but you can appeal if you had a reasonable excuse. We will tell you whether an appeal is realistic.
Send us your details and we confirm the work and the fixed fee, then start straight away.
Yes. HMRC accepts late returns, although you can only claim refunds up to four years after the end of the tax year.
Yes. With your authority we contact HMRC, request statements and agree payment arrangements on your behalf.
Our fees are fixed per return, quoted in writing, and often lower than the penalties of leaving it longer.
Keep exploring.
Know your price before we start.
- Fixed fee confirmed in writing before any work begins
- ICAEW, ACCA and AAT-qualified accountants
- Filed with HMRC and confirmed, so you have proof
- A real person on the phone: 0203 4411 258