Civil servants have voted in favour of a strike on January 31st and experts are advising accountants to treat Monday, January 29th as this year's self-assessment tax return deadline as a result.
Members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) voted for industrial action across the civil service in protest at the government's failure to deliver assurances on job security and pay packages.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) has stressed that tax professionals and their clients should think of January 29th as this year's deadline in order to avoid the worst of the disruption.
"First of all those who have not filed their self-assessment form should now treat Monday, January 29th as the new deadline given the announcement of strike action on January 31st," said ICAEW tax faculty technical manager Anita Monteith.
"This will ensure that your self-assessment is not late. Also note that as long as the form is at the tax office on February 1st or filed electronically by then, no penalty will be incurred even though it is technically late."
Ms Monteith also called on HM Revenue & Customs to reassure taxpayers that they would not be further penalised because of the industrial action.
The widespread strike will affect more than 200 separate government departments, agencies and bodies, including tax and benefit offices, job centres and the courts service.
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