"Taxpayers that did not file their 2013/14 Self Assessment returns are liable to an automatic £100 penalty for late submission of their tax returns. The penalty applied (from 1 February 2015) even if no tax was due or the tax due was paid on time.
"HMRC has begun implementing a policy of allowing taxpayers that make occasional errors more leeway where they have a reasonable excuse for filing a Self Assessment return late. Those who appealed before the deadline will only be let off the fine if they have now sent in their return and paid the tax due. Taxpayers must also have had a good reason for sending in a late return.
"Taxpayers who were meant to file online by 31 January 2015 face far greater penalties if they have not yet completed their Self Assessment return. A daily penalty of £10 per day totalling up to £900 for the three months began on 1 May 2015. A further set of penalties then apply if the return is still outstanding for more than 6 months after the 31 January 2015 filing deadline. From 1 August 2015 taxpayers will be charged the greater of £300 or 5% of the tax due. If the return is still outstanding further penalties will be charged when the return is twelve months late.
"We would recommend that any taxpayers that have still not submitted a return and / or pay the tax due should do so as soon as possible in order to avoid these further penalties."