HM Revenue and Customs has extended the self assessment deadline after problems with its online service.

HMRC's website was out of action for several hours on Thursday, the last day taxpayers could submit their return.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7219718.stm

Because everyone was busy trying to file their tax returns at the last minute, so it crashed.

Like my husband (a tax accountant) said, they probably divided the anticipated number of tax returns by the number of days between 6 April and 31 January, and decided that the system could cope with the resulting numbers...

Mind you, it was me that filed my return in June, and him that filed his in December. Just becasue he's in the business doesn't mean he's much better at deadlines than anyone else.

It was his fault then. He was programmed to file in June and as you are part of a couple, the Filing at the Same Time for Couples Regulations 1997 apply (see reg 43, para 7 ss19).

It is irresponsible professionals like him that bring robustly designed computer systems to their knees.