Each year HMRC produce a list of excuses of why tax returns were submitted late with the hope of setting aside any fines

Companies house also do this and there are some interesting ones, what they don’t say is whether these were successful or not (we think not !!!)

Slugs had eaten the accounts

My company has been so successful that I just haven’t had the time

The accounts had been delivered to the betting office next door to companies house

I found my wife in the bath with my accountant

Pirates stole my documents

Companies house brings in a lot of revenue to  the government in the way of fines, but their target is surprisingly to receive an income of £0, as this shows that compliance is at 100%

Penalties are increased the longer the accounts are late for and in the following year if they are late again then the fines double

So when we chase you for documentation please be prompt, there is nothing worse for us than to save you money by being tax efficient toonly have to give some of it away for not returning paperwork to us on time

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