Record results from self assessment deadline

Nearly two million taxpayers filed their self assessment returns online by the 31 January deadline this year - a 38% increase on last year, according to figures released by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

The HMRC website processed 719,913 self assessment returns during January. 336,277 returns were received in the final seven days, and 216,154 in the final four days until midnight on 31 January.

"We've been pleased to see further growth in online filing this year. We estimate almost a quarter of all returns were submitted online," says Sir David Varney, Chairman of HM Revenue & Customs.

"The growth in online filing is to a large part due to additional benefits, which now allow customers to check payment details and tax owed, as well as file their return over the Internet. Much effort has been put into promoting the benefits on online filing, and that's paid off."

At the peak of the influx during the mornings of Monday 30 & Tuesday 31 January, the HMRC website was processing around 8700 returns an hour - almost 150 per minute, almost three every second. And taxpayers were still at work right up until the final hour: 2300 were received between 11pm and midnight yesterday.

The total number of self assessment returns returned both on paper and electronically will not be known for several weeks, as paper returns are processed manually.