How to Appeal an HMRC Self-assessment Penalty

How to Appeal an HMRC Self-assessment Penalty

If you have received a fine from HMRC, our guide will tell you how to appeal a Self-Assessment penalty, get it delayed or reduced. If you appeal to the tribunal, HMRC will wait for your payment until the tribunal sorts out your appeal. What’s important is that you act fast and get help. 

The best way to avoid making errors with your UK Self Assessment Tax return is to get help from a professional tax agent. Talk to our team  today about receiving help with your self assessment. 

Why Did You Receive a Fine

Usually, it’s one of two reasons. A failure to notify, which means you didn’t file a tax return, but HMRC believes you should have. The other is late filing or late payment. You may also want to find out more about Working Holiday Tax Return.

Related Post: How Do You Claim UK Tax Back?

Ways to Appeal a Self Assessment Penalty

You can appeal by going online, or by phone if it’s the £100 late filing penalty. You can print and send the SA370 form via post. Either way, you will need to provide a plausible reason or excuse for the lapse. When it comes to UK tax returns for non-residents, similar rules apply.

What Counts as a Reasonable Excuse

Anything that prevented you from doing your taxes, such as: the death of someone close, a severe illness, your computer failing as you were filing. It could be that the HMRC online services didn’t work. Or an emergency like fire, flood, theft, or other major incident.

What Doesn’t Count as an Excuse

Some excuses that won’t work are: you asked someone else to do your taxes and they didn’t do it, your payment failed, you didn’t know how to use HMRC’s website, you made a mistake in your tax return, or even though you registered for online filing before the deadline you didn’t get your access code in time.

How Much Time You Have to Appeal

You have 30 days to appeal. If your appeal gets rejected, you can appeal to the Finance and Tax Tribunals within 30 days or consider alternative dispute resolution. If you can’t pay the penalty, make a hardship application with HMRC.

If you appeal to the tribunal, HMRC will wait for your payment until the tribunal sorts out your appeal. What’s important is that you act fast and get help. The best way to avoid making errors with your UK Self Assessment Tax return is to get help from a professional tax agent. Talk to our team  today about receiving help with your self assessment.

Related Post: Step by step guide to completing the HMRC Self-Assessment Tax Return

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