With the tax return deadline a week away, we thought we’d share some of the more imaginative excuses and expense claims HMRC have received over the last decade.

• I was up a mountain in Wales, and couldn’t find a post box or get an internet signal
• My dog ate the post … again
• Claiming £4.50 for sausage and chips meal expenses for 250 days
• My hamster ate my post
• I’ve been cruising round the world in my yacht, and only picking up post when I’m on dry land
• Pet food for a Shih Tzu ‘guard dog’
• A DJ was too busy with a party lifestyle – spinning the deck….in a bowls club
• My mother-in-law is a witch and put a curse on me
• My pet goldfish died (self-employed builder)
• My husband told me the deadline was 31 March, and I believed him (Leicester hairdresser)
• Our business doesn’t really do anything (Kent financial services firm)
• I’ve been too busy submitting my clients’ tax returns (accountant)

  All the excuses and expenses listed above were unsuccessful!