HMRC has issued a statement to anyone affected by the Barclays outage and unable to pay their tax (Image: Getty)
Customers affected by the , which began on Friday, have been reassured that they will not be fined by if the IT glitch meant they were unable to pay their tax bill before midnight.
January 31 was the first payday for many Brits since Christmas Day, and it was also the deadline for submitting a self-assessment tax return to .
The IT glitch was still affecting hundreds of account holders on Saturday afternoon with many still saying they are unable to access their money and cannot make or receive payments.
has told customers that those unable to pay their tax bill due to the outage will not receive a fine for missing the midnight deadline for self-assessment tax returns.
In a statement, said it was “working closely” with Barclays to minimise any impact on those submitting their self-assessments.
An spokesperson said: “Our services are working as normal, so customers will still have been able to file their returns on time.
“Also, the issues will not result in late payment penalties as they don’t apply until 1st March.”
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The Down Detector website has shown more than 1,600 reports of outages for Barclays banking services since Friday.
In a statement on Saturday, a Barclays spokesperson said: “We’re incredibly sorry for the ongoing technical issues that are impacting our customers’ accounts.
“Some may see an outdated balance, and payments made or received may not show.
“We’re working hard to fix this issue, and customers should not try to make the payment again.
“Customers can use their cards and withdraw cash, and as soon as these remaining issues are resolved, we’ll let our customers know.
“We will ensure that no impacted customer is left out of pocket.”
Some people also sent messages to asking if the outage would affect the self-assessment deadline. One asked: “I was unable to pay my self assessment yesterday as Barclays was offline. I have just managed to pay it now. Will I be exempt from the fine?”
The concerned customer was advised by : “We’re aware of the issues with Barclays bank and are working closely with them to minimise any impact on Self Assessment customers. Late payment penalties don’t apply until 1st March, so today’s issues will not result in penalties.”
According to the website, a late filing penalty of £100 is due if you file your tax return up to three months late. says: “Customers’ reasons for not paying their tax bill or arranging a payment plan by the deadline will be considered individually. While customers who provide with a reasonable excuse may avoid a penalty, those without reasonable excuse face will be issued with a penalty.”