Online self-assessment tax returns due by midnight

“Tax generally can be quite an intimidating topic,” accountant Benedicta Egbeme, founder of BeniRatio Finances, told the BBC, adding that even though the UK tax system is “complex and daunting,” people should not “bury their head in the sand” because of the fear from not engaging with the system.

“If you know you are liable to complete the return and have no ‘reasonable excuse’ and you also have a rough idea of how much you may need to pay – this may be based on previous years returns – you can choose to make a payment for tax even without submitting to avoid the interest charge.”

“You can then proceed to get your calculations done and make a submission as soon as possible for the correct amount. Of course any shortfall will need to be paid and any over payments will ultimately be refunded to you by HMRC”, she said.

Ms Egbeme said reasonable excuses not to submit on time include: bereavement, being sick/unwell to the point of being admitted in hospital or dealing with a life-threatening illness.

Other reasons that will taken into account are software failure, issues with your personal computer, HMRC online services, and “destruction of property, files, paper work by fire, flood or theft.”

She says you can appeal the fine via an appeal form or writing HMRC a letter – which may help the fine to be written off, but it still means you have to submit a return.

“In fact HMRC do not consider appeals until your tax return has been submitted and payment has been made,” she says.