Missed Your Self-Assessment Deadline? You're Now Losing £10/Day

If you're a UK freelancer or contractor who missed the 31 January 2026 self-assessment deadline, this is costing you real money right now. Since 1 March 2026, HMRC has been charging £10 per day on top of the initial £100 late filing penalty. That's not a threat — it's happening automatically. The damage so far (as of 15 March) Initial penalty: £100 Daily penalties (15 days × £10): £150 Total so far: £250 By end of May: £1,000 And that's just filing penalties. Late payment penalties and interest are separate. The fastest fix File your return today. That's it. Filing stops the daily penalties immediately. Don't have your exact figures? Doesn't matter. File with estimates and amend later. An estimated return stops the clock. A missing return doesn't. "But I can't pay the tax bill" Filing and paying are separate obligations. You can file without paying. And HMRC offers Time to Pay arrangements for debts under £30,000. The worst thing you can do is nothing. Can you appeal? Yes — if you have