CHARTERED accountants in Sussex are burning the midnight oil to get their clients' self assessment forms to the Inland Revenue before Monday, January 31.

There is an automatic £100 penalty for any taxpayer missing the deadline.

West Sussex-based accountant Mark Spofforth, president of the South Eastern Society of Chartered Accountants, said the end of January was one of the busiest times of the year for accountants dealing with tax.

Some taxpayers had become complacent about the deadline, he said, and had been slower to deal with the paperwork this year and to seek professional advice if they needed it.

"We are now in the third year of self assessment and more people seem to be leaving it to the last minute," he said.

Latest figures from the Revenue indicate that there are still around 75,000 forms outstanding in East and West Sussex from nearly a quarter of a million sent out.

There are around 12,000 to come from Brighton and Hove.

Taxpayers have until the end of the month to return their completed forms for the tax year April 1998 - 99 or face a £100 penalty notice.

Interest will also be charged, at 7.5 per cent, on any outstanding tax not paid by the last day of January.

Individuals completing their own forms will have to calculate how much they owe. It is too late to ask the tax man to do it.

"This section looks daunting and can be complicated, so take it slowly and use the accompanying guide," advises Mr Spofforth. "When you have finished, check everything, make sure you have filled in all the relevant sections and that you have signed the form.

"And remember to make sure it gets to the taxman in time."

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