Almost 66,500 self assessed individuals submitted their 2021/2022 tax return on the 6 April 2022 which is the first day the 21/22 tax return can be submitted.
The stats show that the 21/22 figure is nearly 30,000 more in comparison to the number of tax returns submitted online on the first day in 2018.
Benefits of submitting your tax return online early
There are benefits to completing your tax return early instead of waiting until nearer the 31st January deadline.
An early tax return submission can let you receive any tax rebate you are owed in the quickest time possible. You can enter your bank details on your tax return so you receive it directly into your account after HMRC have processed your return.
If you owe HMRC income tax you can take advantage of the budget payment plan that HMRC offers which allows you to pay back what you owe via weekly or monthly direct debit payments. This lets you spread the cost of what you owe over an agreed period instead of one lump sum.
Because of these benefits HMRC encourages everyone to submit their tax return as soon as they can with Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, saying:
You don’t need to wait for the January rush to send us your tax return. More and more people are getting theirs out of the way early – search ‘Self Assessment’ on GOV.UK to get started.
Number of Self assessment tax returns submitted early on the rise
HMRC have reported that an increasing number of UK tax payers are completing their tax returns earlier.
You can see from the figures below that the numbers have been gradually going up each tax year with Covid 19 probably effecting some of the years negatively.
| 6 April 2018 | 36,939 (2017/18) |
| 6 April 2019 | 35,255 (2018/19) |
| 6 April 2020 | 96,519 (2019/20) |
| 6 April 2021 | 63,521 (2020/21) |
| 6 April 2022 | 66,465 (2021/22) |
Sometimes it’s just about breaking a long term habit of submitting as late as possible up to the 31 January deadline.
The online process HMRC now offers is now very user friendly and it has helpful guides along the way on common subjects which include:
- The information you need to complete your tax return for example a P60 certificate.
- How to declare Covid 19 related payments and self employment income support scheme grants.
- Ways to pay your Self Assessment tax bill.
- How to reclaim a tax rebate.
You can also use your online personal tax account to find some of the information you may need to complete your return.
