Will HMRC fine me £100 if I don’t file a tax return? I sent an email AND sent a certified letter, but no response…
I have filed taxes in the past, but I accepted it HMRC’s online survey which said I didn’t have to do one last year.
HMRC issued public service announcements at the time saying please don’t just call us If you no longer need to file a tax return, complete an online formso that’s what I did last fall.
The automated email I received in response stated: ‘If your request is successful, we will confirm this in writing. If your request is unsuccessful, we will record and explain the reason or request further information.’
However, I heard nothing more, so late last year I sent a registered letter to HMRC, providing evidence that I had tried to inform them and saying that I had no intention of filing a return unless they contacted me as soon as possible recordings.
I still haven’t heard anything, and now I don’t know what to do. Will I be fined £100 even though I’ve done everything I can think of to sort this out – apart from calling HMRC, which they tell us not to do!
If I get a fine and have to contest it, would I be successful? I’m afraid if it were to happen and I had to get an accountant involved to fight it for me, it would cost a lot of money.
High fine: If you fail to file your tax return when you should, HMRC can fine you £100
Harvey Dorset from This is Money replies: Most of us will be familiar with the problems people face when contacting HMRC about taxes.
The system is plagued with confusing web pages and busy phone lines – not to mention tax calculations that many struggle with.
Last year This is Money reported that more than two-thirds of accountants believe HMRC’s poor service is hurting small businesses, with the Foreign Office cutting its customer service workforce from 25,000 to 19,500 in five years.
This came after HMRC announced last March that it would close its self-assessment helpline from April to September and only deal with priority calls once it reopened, shifting all other queries to its online chatbots.
Given the uproar this caused, the department reversed its decision a day later, stating: “The pace of this change must match the public’s interest in managing their tax affairs online.”
HMRC is stretched thin and the fewer calls it receives the better. But it’s frustrating that you’ve gone out of your way to find out the status of your tax return… and the looming fear of a possible penalty.
This is Money spoke to HMRC to see if they can shed light on what you need to do to ensure you get the information you need.
Heather Rodgers, the founder and owner of Aston Accountancy and This is Money’s tax expert, also gives her advice below on what to do if your questions remain unanswered.
A spokesperson for HMRC told This is Money: You can see the date on which you submitted the application to stop self-assessment on your Tax Account (PTA).
The status indicates which phase your request is in.
At the time HMRC processes your request, the status message will show as completed and will remain on your account for two years.
We will send you a letter to confirm that the self-assessment file has been closed, or that we need more information from you.
If you have not received a letter and it has been more than three weeks since you submitted the online form, customers should check their PTA before contacting us via a web chat self-assessment.
Customers can access their PTA via their HMRC online account or the HMRC app.
Heather Rogers replies: HMRC are trying to push taxpayers towards their online services as if they are the solution to all tax problems, which unfortunately they are not.
If a staff member’s review of their application is required, the taxpayer will be unable to proceed until that happens.
Since you wrote and didn’t receive a response either, you can call them. You can also complain (you can also do this online).
If you don’t get satisfaction from HMRC, you can go to the referee.
If you do get a fine, you are free reasons to appeal.
If you do not receive a response to your appeal, you can contact the referee directly.
For more details, see my guide on what to do if you have a dispute with the tax authorities – go to the section called ‘What if HMRC messes up?’
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Do you have a question about a tax return? Contact: editor@thisismoney.co.uk
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