HMRC's top ten list of bizarre, exotic and flimsy excuses

HMRC has revealed the ‘Top 10 oddest excuses’ for sending in a late return.

The following "bizarre, exotic and flimsy" excuses have all been tried, unsuccessfully by tardy taxpayers who were hoping to avoid the £100 late filing penalty:

• My pet goldfish died (self-employed builder); 
• I had a run-in with a cow (Midlands farmer); 
• After seeing a volcanic eruption on the news, I couldn’t concentrate on anything else (London woman); 
• My wife won’t give me my mail (self-employed trader); 
• My husband told me the deadline was 31 March, and I believed him (Leicester hairdresser); 
• I’ve been far too busy touring the country with my one-man play (Coventry writer); 
• My bad back means I can’t go upstairs. That’s where my tax return is (a working taxi driver); 
• I’ve been cruising round the world in my yacht, and only picking up post when I’m on dry land (South East man); 
• Our business doesn’t really do anything (Kent financial services firm); and 
• I’ve been too busy submitting my clients’ tax returns (London accountant). 

Source: HMRC .gov.uk website 2 January 2014