Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received on extending the self-assessment tax deadline for people who have been ineligible for financial support during the covid-19 outbreak.

In recent weeks the Government has received representations on extending the Self-Assessment deadline date. These have come from professional bodies representing tax agents. They have focused on the general Self-Assessment population and tax agents rather than those ineligible for financial support during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Government is aware that many taxpayers may struggle to meet their Self-Assessment obligations this year due to the impacts of COVID-19. While taxpayers were encouraged to file their tax return by 31 January 2021 if possible, anyone who could not file their return by the 31 January deadline will not receive a late filing penalty if they file online by 28 February 2021.

Taxpayers’ other Self-Assessment obligations are unchanged, including the obligation to pay their bill by 31 January 2021.

Anyone having difficulty paying their tax bill, whether they have received financial support from the Government or not, can use HMRC’s Time to Pay (TTP) service once they have filed their return.