Taxpayers completing their self-assessment returns have been issued a crucial warning from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) regarding a common formatting mistake that can block form submission.
The Problem: A Form That Won't Submit
A customer attempting to register for self-assessment encountered a frustrating technical issue. Despite entering their business name correctly and within the required parameters, the system repeatedly rejected their input. The individual reported, "I entered appropriately but it’s not accepting the name even though it meets the parameters set."
HMRC's Step-by-Step Solution
After reviewing a screengrab of the form, HMRC identified two potential problems. Their initial advice was to avoid using capital letters in the business name field. When this first suggestion did not resolve the issue, a second, more specific problem was discovered.
In the section asking for a description of the work undertaken, the taxpayer had listed several terms separated by semi-colons (;). An HMRC representative clarified the rule, stating, "You can't use semi colons for the types of work, please use commas." This specific punctuation restriction was the key to solving the submission problem.
Winter Fuel Payment and Your Tax Return
In related news, HMRC also addressed the interaction between the Winter Fuel Payment and the tax system. The payment, worth between £100 and £300, is being issued automatically to most people of state pension age during November and December.
However, individuals with an income exceeding £35,000 will be required to repay the amount. This repayment will be handled either through an adjustment to your tax code for the 2026/2027 tax year or by adding the amount to your 2025/2026 self-assessment tax return.
Recipients should receive a letter confirming the payment amount and the destination bank account. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has also warned the public to be vigilant against scams, advising people to ignore any text messages inviting them to apply for the payment and to not click on any links within such messages.
