25 Oct 2018With less than 100 days until the online self-assessment tax return deadline, HMRC is urging taxpayers to complete their tax returns early, in order to avoid the last-minute rush. The deadline for submitting your 2017/18 self-assessment tax return online and paying any tax you owe is 31 January 2019. An automatic penalty of £100 will apply if your return is late. HMRC revealed that more than 11 million taxpayers completed a self-assessment tax return last year, with a total of 10.7 million finalising their returns on time. 758,707 individuals filed their returns on 31 January, the deadline day. According to HMRC, a record 93% of taxpayers filed their tax returns online. Paper self-assessment tax returns must be filed by 31 October 2018. Commenting on the matter, Angela MacDonald, Director General for Customer Services at HMRC, said: 'We want to help people get their tax returns right – starting the process early and giving yourself time to gather all the information you need will help avoid the last minute, stressful rush to complete it on time.'