ANYONE could be forgiven for being daunted by the dull task of filing a tax return.

In fact, so many people want to put off the task that Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs has to sift through a number of excuses for late tax returns each year that are dubious to say the least.

From aliens to spilled coffee, this selection of genuine excuses HMRC has received shows the lengths people will go to avoid a bit of personal accounting. 

Some of the more amusing recent excuses include:

1. "I couldn’t file my return on time as my wife has been seeing aliens and won’t let me enter the house."

2. "I’ve been far too busy touring the country with my one-man play."

3. "My ex-wife left my tax return upstairs, but I suffer from vertigo and can’t go upstairs to retrieve it."

4. "My business doesn’t really do anything."

5. "I spilt coffee on it."

As well as the excuses, HMRC also receives some questionable items which taxpayers have tried to sign off as an expense. 

1. A three-piece suite for my partner to sit on when I’m doing my accounts.

2. Birthday drinks at a Glasgow nightclub.

3. Vet fees for a rabbit.

4. Hotel room service – for candles and prosecco.

5. £4.50 for sausage and chips meal expenses for 250 days.

Though slightly amusing there is a serious message, as all the excuses and expenses listed above were rejected.

Angela MacDonald, HMRC Director General of Customer Services, said: “Each year we’re making it easier and more intuitive for our customers to complete their tax return, but each year we still come across some questionable excuses, whether that’s blaming a busy touring schedule or seeing aliens. However, help will always be provided for those who have a genuine excuse for not submitting their return on time.

“We also receive absurd expense claims from vet fees for a rabbit to room service at a hotel. It is unfair to make honest taxpayers pick up the bill for other people’s spurious claims, so HMRC will only accept sincere claims such as legitimate expenses for a job.

“If you think you might miss the 31 January deadline, get in touch with us now - the earlier we’re contacted, the more help we can offer.”

The deadline for sending 2016-17 Self Assessment tax returns to HMRC, and paying any tax owed, is January 31.

Self Assessment customers can now also submit their return via their Personal Tax Account. It takes five minutes to sign up for an account here: www.gov.uk/personal-tax-account.