But be prepared to pay for it
We have heard some pundits proclaim that it is now too late to file a paper return, but this is not true.
31 October 2011 was the deadline for submitting a self assessment tax return for 2010/11 on paper. 31 January 2012 is the deadline for filing the return online. You can continue to file on paper or online after each of these deadlines, the only difference is the amount of penalty you have to pay. To read more about the rules on penalties, refer to our news item 31 January, an even more important date
If you do file a return on paper now, it will crystallise the £100 late filing penalty. The penalty notice is likely to arrive in February 2012 when HMRC is able to see which taxpayers filed late and whether they were paper filers or online filers.
If you file on paper after 31 January 2012, the additional £10 daily penalty for filing later than 3 months after the deadline, will also start to accrue. That is why filing online is now the much cheaper option.
It is possible to claim reasonable excuse for filing late.
If you need to file a paper return after 31 October 2011 and believe you have an acceptable excuse for having to do so, you should make this clear in a covering letter setting out what the reasonable excuse claimed is. The accompanying letter should be headed ‘REASONABLE EXCUSE CLAIM’ in large, bold letters at the top, or you can use HMRC’s reasonable excuse form. Using the form makes it more easily recognised by HMRC post room staff and also ensures that you include all the necessary information.