Self-employed workers have been hit particularly hard by coronavirus as the sector was among the last to be offered support from Rishi Sunak. The added burden of the upcoming Self Assessment tax deadline could exacerbate stresses further and new research from Intuit QuickBooks has revealed some people may end up paying two tax bills this month.

Just over a fifth (21 percent) are also less confident in completing their return accurately because of the inclusion of COVID-19 grants.

As a result of these problems, HMRC detailed they will be more lenient towards late submissions this year and while they're still encouraging as many people as possible to file on time, if an applicant has been adversely impacted by COVID-19 they will accept that as a “reasonable excuse” for penalties to be waived, though penalties for paying tax late will broadly still apply.

Intuit QuickBooks explained as many as two in five self-employed workers said they had been fined for making mistakes or missing a deadline in "normal times", with an average penalty of £389 issued.

With all of these considerations, Intuit QuickBooks noted it was "unsurprising" the two emotions most commonly associated with completing a Self Assessment tax return are stress (31 percent) and dread (18 percent).

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Jodie Cariss, the founder of contemporary mental health service, Self Space, commented on how affected workers can manage this stress: "For millions of us in the UK, filling in our Self Assessment tax return brings about an annual dose of dread and overwhelm, and this year, it is even more complicated.

"The pressure that comes with financial stress can be destabilising – but it doesn’t have to be.

“Where possible, sole traders should try and look beyond the numbers - notice the names of people and projects on invoices - and celebrate the triumphs, no matter how small.

"By approaching our tax return mindfully, we can make the process easier on ourselves.”

In recent months some experts and organisations have called on HMRC to delay the January deadline but Pauline argued this would actually create more problems down the line, as she concluded: "It has been a difficult year for everyone, but particularly so for the self-employed, with many finding their businesses and livelihoods turned upside down by COVID-19.

"HMRC has been right to recognise the challenges people will face in completing this year’s Self Assessment return by being more lenient with late submissions. Though COVID-19 is accepted as a 'reasonable excuse' to waive penalties, HMRC will be assessing on a case-by-case basis.

“While some have called for the January deadline to be pushed back for everyone, this would only delay the inevitable. Many people’s natural instinct would be to pause the process, only to find themselves running up against the extended deadline in a couple of months’ time, with no greater clarity on their tax bill and the threat of a fine looming.

“Wherever possible, it is in everyone’s best interests to get their tax returns out the way so they can focus on running their business. We have found that the anticipation of the process is often a lot worse than the actual experience, which is why QuickBooks has launched a guide demonstrating how mindfulness techniques can be used to turn Self Assessment into a more positive experience.”