Ahead of the January 31st deadline for Self Assessment tax returns, HMRC has revealed some of the most weird and wonderful excuses it has received from customers over the last decade…
Caravan rental for the Easter weekend
I was up a mountain in Wales, and couldn’t find a post box or get an internet signal
My dog ate the post… again
Claiming £4.50 for sausage and chips meal expenses for 250 days
My hamster ate my post
I’ve been cruising round the world in my yacht, and only picking up post when I’m on dry land
A music subscription so I can listen to music while I work
Pet food for a Shih Tzu ‘guard dog’
A DJ was too busy with a party lifestyle – spinning the deck….in a bowls club
My mother-in-law is a witch and put a curse on me
All of the excuses and expenses listed above were unsuccessful.
Angela MacDonald, HMRC Director General of Customer Services, said: “Each year, we try to make it as easy and simple as possible for our customers to complete their tax returns and the majority make the effort to do theirs right and on time. But, we still come across some unusual excuses and expenses which range from problems with a mother-in-law to yachts set on fire.
“We always offer help to those who have a genuine excuse for not submitting their return on time. It is unfair to the majority of honest taxpayers when others make bogus claims.
“If you think you might miss the 31 January deadline, get in touch with us now – the earlier we’re contacted, the more we can help.”
Help to complete your return is available at GOV.UK, from the Self Assessment helpline on 0300 200 3310, or on social media.
