Lanarkshire residents were among the nearly 66,500 customers who filed their 2021 to 2022 tax return on the first day of the new tax year - April 6 - HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has confirmed.
In recent years, there has been an increasing number of "early-bird" customers filing their completed self assessment tax returns at the beginning of the new tax year.
And almost 30,000 more people filed their returns on April 6 this year compared to 2018, with HMRC encouraging other Lanarkshire residents to change their filing habits and do it as soon as they can.
Customers can file their tax return online, which is the quickest way to complete a self assessment return; it doesn't need to be finished in one go as people can access their return online anytime and save their progress until it is completed and ready to submit.
Residents who file their tax return early could benefit from receiving a tax refund on any overpaid tax from the 2021 to 2022 tax year sooner; once a customer has filed their tax return, they can check if a repayment is due via their Personal Tax Account
They can also manage their tax bill via direct debit by using the Budget Payment Plan service to set up weekly or monthly payments to spread the cost of any tax owed.
The self assessment tax payment deadline for balancing payments remains unchanged - January 31, 2023.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s director general for customer services, told Lanarkshire Live : “You don’t need to wait for the January rush to send us your tax return.
"More and more people are getting theirs out of the way early - search ‘self assessment’ on GOV.UK to get started.”
HMRC has updated the self assessment guide to help customers navigate through the tax return process.
It includes helpful information on: how to get help with your tax return; what to do when declaring furlough payments, Self-Employment Income Support Scheme grants or other COVID support measures; what information you need before you can start completing your tax return; help with paying your self assessment tax bill; and what to do if you have overpaid tax and are due a refund.
Earnings and payments received during the pandemic will need to be reported on the tax return meaning customers must declare any grants or payments from the COVID support schemes received between April 6, 2021, and April this year as these are taxable, including the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, other COVID grants and support payments, and any coronavirus payments incorrectly claimed.
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