Overview

• UK's HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is under pressure to extend the self-assessment tax return deadline due to significant helpline delays.
• Taxpayers who miss the deadline risk an automatic £100 late filing penalty, with additional penalties for paying outstanding taxes after the deadline.
• Thousands are filing self-assessments for the first time this year due to frozen income tax allowances.
• Taxpayers have been unable to get through to HMRC's helpline, with some reporting wait times of up to 40 minutes.
• Experts suggest that HMRC should grant penalty-free deadline extensions to people affected by the helpline delays.