Out-of-the-blue Self Assessment form

MothballsWallet

I've also posted this on the Benefits & Tax board, and been advised to ask here as well as there are probably a few MS who know more about the tax system.

I had a real shock when I opened my post today - a Self Assessment Statement (number "2"), saying I owe £100 plus £3.09 interest.

I've contacted HMRC and they've said it's because I never returned a Self Assessment Tax Return for 05/06, that I'll have to fill in a duplicate and send it back with a letter to appeal the penalty charges.

I'm now waiting for the duplicate form to arrive. The thing is, I've always been PAYE and never self assessment. I was in New Zealand for the whole of 2006, and was paying tax to their government as per the reciprocal agreement - and I've got the evidence to prove it.

My forwarding address was via my parents, but nothing regarding self assessment turned up for me in NZ that I can remember. And I brought back everything that I received while out there.

Is it best to wait for this duplicate return form, fill it in and send it back with a letter or is there anything else that I can do? I have been advised by the HMRC helpline that I can write in and appeal the penalty charges.

Cook_County

The amount of penalties will be reduced to zero if there is zero tax due as you say, so just complete a return (you can download a blank one from HMRCs website if you like) and file it...

dejongj

yes if you told the truth as you described it it won't be a problem and the late payment fine will go away....Just expect loads of letters in the meantime as the moment you put in the return their computers will work overtime and send out many more assesments...Don't worry about it, just return it truthfully and it will get sorted.....It's part of the tactics to get people to get in contact...Mine was £6k so you can imagine I got in contact very rapidly, then they owed me £3k and finally they return £750 to me........No penalties or nothing....As like yourself I was always fully PAYE without other income and was able to proof that...