Fri, 3 Jan 2014Mourning a goldfish, believing a husband and being too busy submitting clients’ tax returns are among a list of HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC’s) top excuses from tax return laggards.

We’re confident our readers will already know the importance of keeping on top of compliance, bureaucracy and paperwork – but anyone in any doubt now has another good reason to do so, namely avoiding some serious lampooning.

With the 31 January deadline for individuals and businesses to file self-assessment tax returns fast approaching, HMRC has produced a list of its 10 most bizarre, exotic and flimsy excuses for missing the deadline in previous years:

1. My pet goldfish died (self-employed builder)
2. I had a run-in with a cow (Midlands farmer)
3. After seeing a volcanic eruption on the news, I couldn’t concentrate on anything else (London woman)
4. My wife won’t give me my mail (self-employed trader)
5. My husband told me the deadline was 31 March, and I believed him (Leicester hairdresser)
6. I’ve been far too busy touring the country with my one-man play (Coventry writer)
7. My bad back means I can’t go upstairs. That’s where my tax return is (a working taxi driver)
8. I’ve been cruising round the world in my yacht, and only picking up post when I’m on dry land (South-Eastern man)
9. Our business doesn’t really do anything (Kent financial services firm)
10. I’ve been too busy submitting my clients’ tax returns (London accountant)

All of these people and businesses had received a £100 penalty from HMRC for filing late. They appealed against the decision using these excuses, and were all… can you guess? Unsuccessful.

Confirms HMRC director general of personal tax, Ruth Owen: “There will always be unforeseen events that mean a taxpayer could not file their tax return on time. However, your pet goldfish passing away isn’t one of them.”