HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed that 2,828 customers filed their Self Assessment tax return on Christmas Day, compared to 2,700 in 2020.

For thousands of customers, filing their tax return on 25 December has become part of their Christmas tradition, with 227 choosing to complete their Self Assessment between 12:00 and 12:59.

In total, more than 31,000 customers submitted their 2020/21 tax return between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day – getting it in early ahead of the deadline on 31 January 2022, and most festive filers completed their return on 24 December:

Christmas Eve: 19,802 tax returns were filed.

Christmas Day: 2,828 tax returns were filed.

Boxing Day: 8,641 tax returns were filed.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said:

“Filling in a tax return won’t have been on many people’s to-do lists for Christmas, but please don’t leave it until the end of January either. We have videos, guidance and helpsheets to support you – just search ‘Self Assessment’ on GOV.UK to find out more.”

HMRC has created resources to help customers complete their tax return including a playlist on YouTube, webinars and helpsheets and guidance available on GOV.UK.

HMRC urges everyone to be alert if they are contacted out of the blue by someone asking for money or personal information, they see high numbers of fraudsters emailing, calling or texting people claiming to be from the department.

If in doubt, HMRC advises not to reply directly to anything suspicious, but to contact them straight away and to search GOV.UK for ‘HMRC scams’.