More than 40,000 individuals found time between turkey dinners and tinsel to file their 2023–24 Self Assessment tax return over the festive period, new figures from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) reveal.

While many were tucking into Christmas leftovers or huddling around the television, 4,400 people submitted their online returns on Christmas Day itself. Another 11,932 swapped the Boxing Day sales for filing, with 23,731 preparing their returns on Christmas Eve rather than leaving it to the last minute.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, praised early filers for securing their peace of mind before the New Year celebrations begin. She added: “For anyone who hasn’t started, our online service is available all year round—plenty of time to get it done before 31 January.”

Taxpayers who file online by 30 December can opt to pay any tax owed through their PAYE tax code, while the final payment deadline remains 31 January 2025.

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Over 4,000 Brits tucked into their tax return on Christmas Day