Residents who fill in paper tax returns, will have their forms delayed, the Treasury Minister has announced.

Alfred Cannan MHK has announced a series of measures which are intended to ease any concerns people may have regarding the completion and submission of tax returns.

The measures mean that employees, employers and companies will have a little longer to supply their tax details, this is due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Individual taxpayers or their agents who are registered users of online tax services will receive their returns for the year ending April 5 as normal on or around April 6 2020.

Paper tax returns for the year ending April 5 2020 issued by post to individual taxpayers on or around April 6 2020 will be delayed.

The division will review this postponement no later than April 30 2020 and recognises that consideration may need to be given to extending the current deadline for their submission on 6 October 2020 (which would also apply to the returns made available online too for the same period).

Anyone who receives a return by this method and wishes to receive their return during April should either register for online tax services or contact the Income Tax Division on 685400 to request a paper copy but should only do so if it is absolutely necessary for them to complete the return early.

Where an individual has failed to submit their tax return for the year ended April 2019 5 by April 2020 6 a penalty of £200 would normally be issued. If the outstanding return is submitted no later than June 5 2020 no further penalty will be issued.

For businesses, the deadline for employers’ tax returns for the year ended April 5 2020 is extended from May 5 2020 to June 5 2020.

First penalties will not currently be issued for the non-submission of any company tax returns still outstanding and due to be submitted between April 1 2020 and June 5 2020. This measure results in the filing date for these returns being extended to June 5 2020 in order to prevent the issue of a first penalty.

Second penalties will not currently be issued for late submission of any company tax returns still outstanding that would be liable to the second penalty between April 1 2020 and June 5 2020. If the returns are still outstanding at June 5 2020 the second penalty will then be issued.

Mr Cannan has also asked residents and businesses to be mindful that delays in tax assessments are inevitable in the coming weeks and months.

He said: ’These are worrying times for all of us and it is vital that we take the appropriate steps so that no one is put under any unnecessary pressure to submit their tax returns in the forthcoming weeks.

’Many of the officers in the Income Tax Division have been working tirelessly to maintain critical tax functions whilst others have been supporting the various measures we have put in place to provide essential financial support across our community.

’I would ask that you should show patience in terms of the processing times of your assessments and enquiries over the forthcoming months, but would emphasise that priority will be given to those taxpayers who are entitled to the repayment of tax where it is abundantly clear that the current crisis is resulting in financial hardship.’