Tax self-assessment - strike looming...

It's looking like the Public and Commercial Services Union will stage a national strike on January 31. The HM Revenue & Customs site says: "We will do everything we can to maintain our services to the public and business. Our advice to self assessment taxpayers is the same as it is every year - file early before the 31 January deadline and make payment online if possible. Paper returns can be delivered to any HMRC office and we will do all we can to open our Enquiry Centres to receive returns. A taxpayer or their agent who finds it impossible to file by 31 Jan due to the industrial action should file as soon as possible on the following day. On-line services will not be affected (I filed mine online this year for the first time and it was remarkably quick and easy - I paid online too)." Whether this could mean fines for those filing 'late' is discussed at The Insitute of Chartered Accountant's web site here.