Treasury has announced extra assistance to help people complete their tax returns online as the deadline approaches.

An out-of-hours telephone service starts on Sunday afternoon (October 1) and will be also be available in the evenings next Monday to Thursday inclusive.

The deadline to return personal tax returns is Friday, October 6.

Gerard Higgins, business solutions group manager with the Treasury’s income tax division, explained: ’More than one in three taxpayers are now submitting their tax returns online.

’And during recent years the out of hours telephone service has not only received considerable uptake for assistance in completion of online returns but we have also seen many callers wishing to register for the service and submit their return online for the first time.’

To help new users the online enrolment process can be completed to enable immediate submission of their return online by calling 685400 (option 2) during normal office hours or through the extended hours telephone service as announced.

The exact times are as follows: Sunday, 2pm to 8pm; Monday to Wednesday, 5.30pm to 8pm; Thursday, 5.30pm to 8pm.

Paper returns can be put through the letterboxes located at the front entrance to, or on the 2nd floor inside, Government Office, in Bucks Road, Douglas.

If anyone requires a duplicate tax return, they should contact the division immediately so that it can be issued and returned before the deadline.

Mr Higgins warned residents that people who don’t return their tax returns by the deadline face being charged a penalty.

’If the income tax division has not received personal tax returns for the year ended April 5 2017 by Friday next week (October 6), taxpayers will be charged a £100 penalty,’ he said.

’If the return has still not been received by the Division by April 6 2018, a further £200 penalty will be charged.

’Even if the penalties are paid, the return must still be submitted and people may be prosecuted for failing to do so.’