The situation
A self employed courier had not filed for several years. Life had got in the way, the returns piled up, and the growing sense of dread made it harder to face. HMRC letters were going unopened.
The problem
Multiple late returns meant penalties stacking up, with £100 charges, daily penalties and further percentage based charges building on each year. Interest was running on unpaid tax. The longer it went on, the worse it got, and estimated assessments risked overstating what he owed.
What we did
- Took stock calmly. We established which years were outstanding and gathered his records.
- Prepared every return. We reconstructed his income and expenses year by year and filed them all.
- Tackled the penalties. We appealed where there were grounds and arranged a Time to Pay plan for the balance.
What changed
All the outstanding years were filed, the actual tax owed turned out to be far less frightening than feared once his expenses were claimed, and a manageable monthly payment plan was agreed. The relief of being up to date and back in control was, in his words, enormous.
What this shows
Falling behind feels overwhelming, but it is almost always fixable. Acting, rather than avoiding, limits the penalties and usually reveals a smaller bill than expected.
Behind on your returns?
However many years it has been, we can get you up to date calmly, claim your expenses, appeal penalties where we can, and arrange affordable payment.