How witchcraft and ‘being too short to reach the postbox’ are among the rejected excuses for late tax returns
- One taxpayer told revenue chiefs their mother-in-law had put a curse on them
- Another said they were too short to reach the post box and could not send it in
- Yet another blamed their broken boiler and said they were too cold to type
Witchcraft, a broken boiler and being too short are among the strangest excuses offered to HMRC for a late tax return.
One taxpayer told revenue and customs officers their mother-in-law was a witch and had put a curse on them.
Another said they were too short to reach the post box, meaning they could not send in their tax documents.
HMRC also revealed that one person had said they were too cold to type after their boiler broke down.
HM Revenue and Customs has listed some outlandish excuses it has seen for people not getting their self-assessment returns in on time
The deadline for getting online self-assessment returns in for the 2017-18 tax year and paying any tax owed is January 31.
People who fail to do this face a £100 initial fine followed by further possible penalties.
HMRC said every year it also receives some dubious expenses claims for unconvincing items.
Expenses include a claim for woolly underwear and ta carpenter claiming for a TV and sound bar to help him price jobs.
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Another taxpayer claimed for a music subscription so they could listen to tunes while they worked.
HMRC said all these excuses and expenses claims were unsuccessful.
Angela MacDonald, HMRC director general of customer services, said: ‘Help will always be provided for those who have a genuine excuse for not submitting their return on time but it’s unfair to the majority of honest taxpayers when others make bogus claims.
‘If you think you might miss the January 31 deadline, get in touch with us now – the earlier we’re contacted, the more we can help.’
Help is available on gov.uk from the self-assessment helpline or on social media.
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