HMRC penalties & payments

There are key dates specified by HMRC as to when you must send in your tax return and make payments throughout the tax year.
It's important that you're aware of these dates - if you miss them you may have to pay interest and penalties.

What's more, from 6 April 2011, all of these penalties will be charged even if you have no tax to pay!

Paper returns must reach HMRC by midnight on 31 October.
Online tax returns must reach HMRC by midnight on 31 January.

If you miss the deadline, the longer you delay, the more you'll have to pay. So it's important to send your tax return to HMRC as soon as you can.

Deadlines for paying your tax

31 January
You must pay any amount due by 31 January following the end of the tax year.

The payment deadline is the same for both paper and online returns.

You'll need to pay one or both of the following:

. Any tax you still owe for the previous tax year

. The first of two 'payments on account' for the current tax year

31 July
This is the deadline for making any further payments on account if you've been asked to do so.

The same rules apply as before, in that if you miss the deadline, the longer you delay, the more you'll have to pay. .

For full details of interest and penalties for sending your tax return late, and if you don't pay on time follow this link to the HMRC website http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/sa/deadlines-penalties.htm