Record 6.9 million file their tax returns online

Record numbers of people sent their Self Assessment tax returns online this year, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has revealed.

A total of 6,907,410 people filed online by the 31 January deadline - around 78% of all returns submitted. This represents an increase of just over 7% on the 2010 total, when around 6.4m people filed online by 31 January.

On the busiest day for online returns, 31 January, HMRC received a record 572,455 online SA returns. And the rush hour for online tax returns occurred between 4pm and 5pm on 31 January, when 49,367 returns were received by HMRC.

Online SA filing even continued over the Christmas holidays, with 845 people filing their returns online on Christmas Day; 2,408 on Boxing Day; 16,230 on New Year's Eve; and 5,130 on New Year's Day. In fact, 96 people put New Year celebrations to one side and filed their return between 11pm and midnight on 31 December 2010.

While the 31 January filing deadline has now passed, anyone who hasn't yet filed their 2009/10 tax return is urged to send it to HMRC as soon as possible, as well as any outstanding tax due for the 2009/10 tax year. Help is available from the HMRC website at hmrc.gov.uk/sa.