On-line tax filing still halted

Filing tax returns on-line has still not been restored more than a fortnight after the problems with the system were initially discovered. On Monday 27 May users alerted the Inland Revenue after finding they had access to information given by other taxpayers. The service was suspended and an investigation carried out.

The Revenue says ‘very good progress’ has been made with this investigation, particularly on discovering what was wrong, but is reluctant to discuss the details at this stage. Ministers will hear a full report next Wednesday 19 June and then decide on a timetable for the full restoration of the service to normal.

Last year 76,000 people filed their tax return over the internet. That represents roughly 1 per cent of the 9 million people who were sent tax returns last year. Four-fifths of those who sent their return in electronically did so by using the Inland Revenue’s own Self-Assessment Online service, rather than other software packages.

In the Budget, the Government said it was considering imposing fines on people and businesses who fail to send in returns electronically by 2010.

(14/06/02)