One week remains until the tax return deadline and many will be rushing to get things together to avoid the automatic £100 penalty. It doesn't help matters that as of the current moment HMRC systems are experiencing downtime.
Every year HMRC publishes the most bizzare list of late tax return excuses and expense claims but this year we have a round up of the top 10 spanning the decade 2010-2020.
Here's the list:
10. Expense claim for caravan rental for an Easter break
9. Late tax return due to no phone signal or phone box as the individual was on a mountain in Wales.
8. Late tax return as didn't receive a letter, the dog chewed up the mail.
7. An £1,125 expense claim for a daily meal expenses (250 days of sausage and chips at £4.50 per day)
6. Late tax return as didn't receive a letter, the 'hamster' chewed up the mail this time.
5. Late tax return as on a world cruise and only check post when the yacht stops.
4. Expense claim for a online streaming music service. The individual listens to music while they work. This was rejected.
3. Expense claim for pet food. The claim was for the guard dog, however the breed was 'Shih Tzu'.
2. Late tax return as too busy partying. The individual was a DJ at a bowls club.
1. Late tax return due to a curse placed on the individual by their mother-in-law... who is a witch!
The top excuse appears to be from only last year where we also had competition from tall post boxes and frozen fingers!