Nearly 66,500 ‘early birds’ file returns on first day of new tax year
People are increasingly getting their tax returns in early, HM Revenue and Customs said.
Nearly 66,500 people filed their 2021/22 tax return on the first day of the new tax year, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has said.
In recent years, increasing numbers of “early-bird” customers have been filing their completed self-assessment tax returns on April 6 – the date that marks the start of a new tax year.
Nearly 30,000 more customers filed their returns on April 6 this year than in 2018, according to HMRC, with 66,465 people filing on April 6 2022.
While many wait until nearer the annual filing deadline on January 31, for some it is an opportunity to avoid the last-minute rush while they have the relevant information to hand, the revenue body said.
Those who do file earlier may find they receive any overpaid tax refunds from the 2021/22 tax year sooner.
People can file their tax return online and it does not need to be finished in one go.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s director general for customer services, said: “You don’t need to wait for the January rush to send us your tax return.
“More and more people are getting theirs out of the way early – search ‘self assessment’ on gov.uk to get started.”