‘My mother-in-law put a curse on me’: the top tax return excuses

Former_MSE_Anthony_S

Yep, someone actually told HMRC that was why they were late submitting their tax return. And that wasn’t the only unbelievable excuse they received – here are some of the most bizarre ones they received:

• “I’m too short to reach the post box.”

• “I was just too busy – my first maid left, my second maid stole from me and my third maid was very slow to learn.”

• “Our junior member of staff registered our client in self-assessment by mistake because they were not wearing their glasses.”

• “My boiler had broken and my fingers were too cold to type.”

As well as these unbelievable excuses, HMRC was also sent some pretty shocking expenses claims, with these taking the biscuit:

• A carpenter claiming £900 for a 55-inch TV and sound bar to help him price his jobs.

• £40 on extra woolly underwear for five years.

• £756 for pet dog insurance.

• A music subscription to listen to music while working.

• A family holiday to Nigeria.

HMRC's press release makes it clear it gave these effort short shrift – it says “all these excuses and expenses were unsuccessful”. But it’s a useful reminder that you’ve only 11.59pm on Thursday to file your 2017/18 return…

Mr.Generous

I thought 31st jan was the deadline to pay tax due too, do you have to submit and pay at the same time?

(Done mine BTW, I never leave it until the last day just in case something goes wrong.)

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Oh come on, I was expecting the MiL Jokes here!

TheCyclingProgrammer

And yet here we are on the 29 Jan and in the past few days alone there have been loads of posts by people asking for help with their self assessment including people who are doing it for the first time.

If you've never done one before and don't really know what you're doing, why on earth would you leave it to the last few days when you have 9 months to do it? The mind boggles.