Overview
- HMRC said a technical fault shut helplines from about 11:40am to 2:15pm on Thursday and issued an apology once services reopened.
- The department directed customers to GOV.UK guidance and the HMRC mobile app, which continued to operate during the disruption.
- Official data released on 5 January indicated around 5.65 million self‑assessment returns were still outstanding ahead of the 31 January cutoff.
- Late filers face an immediate £100 penalty after the deadline, with additional daily charges and interest if returns or payments remain overdue.
- Consumer advocates warned the outage hit those reliant on telephone support, including people recovering Government Gateway access, while free help in Scotland is available via Advice Direct Scotland’s taxadvice.scot.