When does the 2026/27 UK tax year start and end?

The 2026/27 UK tax year runs from 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027. The personal allowance, ISA allowance, pension annual allowance, CGT annual exempt amount and most other personal allowances reset on the morning of 6 April. The tax-year boundary is a legacy of the 1752 calendar reform when the start of the legal year moved from Lady Day (25 March) to 1 January but tax authorities preserved the old start point through subsequent calendar adjustments. There is no proposal currently in Parliament to move the boundary to the calendar year despite an Office of Tax Simplification recommendation in 2021.

Which month has the most UK tax deadlines?

January is the most active month by liability volume - 31 January carries the Self Assessment online return deadline, the balancing payment for the prior tax year, the first payment on account for the current tax year, the PAYE Settlement Agreement payment deadline, the ATED-related disposal reporting deadline, and the amendment window closure for the year before. April is the most active month by event count - the year ends on 5 April, the new year starts on 6 April, the final FPS for the previous year is due on 19 April, the final monthly PAYE for the previous year is due on 22 April, and ISA / pension / CGT allowances reset overnight. July ranks third on liability - 6 July is the P11D deadline, 19 / 22 July are the Class 1A NIC payment deadlines, and 31 July is the second payment on account.

What happens if a UK tax deadline falls on a weekend or bank holiday?

Payment deadlines move to the next working day automatically - HMRC accepts cleared funds on the working day after a weekend or bank holiday without late-payment penalty if the original due date was the weekend or holiday itself. Filing deadlines are fixed regardless. So a 31 January Self Assessment return that falls on a Saturday must still be filed by midnight Saturday, but any payment due on the same date can be cleared on the following Monday without interest. The Bank of England settlement calendar (not the standard banking calendar) governs which days count as working days for HMRC payment clearance.

When do P60s and P11Ds need to be issued?

P60 forms summarising each employee's annual pay and deductions must be issued to every employee on the payroll on 5 April by 31 May - so 31 May 2026 for the 2025/26 tax year. P11D forms reporting benefits in kind and P11D(b) declaring the Class 1A NIC due must be filed with HMRC by 6 July, and a copy of the P11D must also be given to each employee by the same 6 July date. Class 1A NIC payment is due 19 July (postal) or 22 July (electronic). All three forms can be issued electronically (PDF) if the employee has agreed to electronic delivery in advance. Late P60 issuance can attract penalties of up to £300 plus £60 per day continuing default; late P11D filing triggers £100 per month penalty per 50 employees.

Are there UK tax deadlines in June?

June carries no annual tax deadlines on a specific calendar date. However the standard monthly PAYE and CIS cadence still applies - 19 June for postal PAYE / CIS payments covering 6 May to 5 June, and 22 June for electronic. VAT-registered businesses with a 31 May quarter end have a 7 July return deadline (one month and seven days), and QIP-paying companies with an April year-end have an instalment due on 14 June. June is the only month with no annual-cycle deadline; it is typically used by accountants for SA pre-filing work on returns due seven months later.

What is the Spring Statement?

The Spring Statement is the smaller of the Chancellor's two fiscal events, usually delivered in March alongside the Office for Budget Responsibility's economic forecast update. Since 2017 the main fiscal event is the Autumn Budget; the Spring Statement is positioned as a forecast update rather than a tax-changing event, though Chancellors regularly use it for in-year tax adjustments. The exact date varies but typically falls in the first half of March. Any tax changes announced at Spring Statement that affect personal taxation usually take effect from 6 April of the same year if they are uprating allowances or rates, or from a specified later date if they are structural reforms.

Do I have to pay tax twice a year on Self Assessment?

If you file Self Assessment and your previous year tax bill exceeded £1,000 (with less than 80% collected at source via PAYE), HMRC requires payments on account. Each is 50% of the previous year's tax liability. The first instalment is due 31 January alongside the balancing payment for the prior year. The second instalment is due 31 July. The balancing payment the following 31 January reconciles both payments against actual liability. If your income has dropped, you can apply to reduce the payments on account using form SA303 or via your online account, but HMRC charges interest if the reduction turns out to be excessive.

What is the penalty for missing 31 January?

Missing the 31 January Self Assessment online filing deadline triggers an automatic £100 fixed penalty the day after, regardless of whether tax is owed. From 1 May (three months late) HMRC adds £10 per day for up to 90 days, capping daily penalties at £900. At six months late (1 August) HMRC adds another £300 or 5% of tax due, whichever is greater. At twelve months late a further £300 or 5% applies. Late payment penalties stack on top - 5% of unpaid tax at 30 days, 6 months and 12 months, plus daily interest at the Bank of England base rate plus 2.5 percentage points. The £100 penalty stands even if you owe no tax or are due a refund (Donaldson v HMRC, 2016).

When is Class 1A National Insurance due?

Class 1A National Insurance is the employer-only contribution on benefits in kind reported via P11D(b). For the 2025/26 tax year the payment is due 19 July 2026 if paying by post (cheque) or 22 July 2026 if paying electronically. The Class 1A rate is 15% of the cash equivalent of the benefit for the 2025/26 tax year (rising in line with employer Class 1 NI). Late payment attracts daily interest at the Bank of England base rate plus 2.5 percentage points from the day after the due date, plus a 5% surcharge if unpaid 30 days after the due date. The payment can be made via Faster Payments, BACS, CHAPS, direct debit, online banking or by cheque to HMRC Cumbernauld.

When can I register for Self Assessment?

You can register for Self Assessment at any point during the tax year in which you became liable, but the hard deadline is 5 October following the end of that tax year. So for 2025/26 the registration deadline is 5 October 2026, and for 2026/27 it is 5 October 2027. Register at gov.uk/register-for-self-assessment by completing form SA1 (for non-self-employed reasons such as HICBC, dividends above the £500 allowance, or capital gains above the annual exempt amount) or form CWF1 (for self-employment). HMRC then issues a Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) by post within 10 working days, followed by an activation code for the online service. Allow three weeks total between registration and first filing.

When is the Autumn Budget delivered?

The Autumn Budget is the Chancellor's main fiscal event each year, typically delivered between late October and late November. Since 2017 the calendar has settled on late November for the Budget speech and late March for the Spring Statement. The exact date is announced by the Treasury about six weeks in advance. The Budget Resolution gives most personal-tax changes immediate effect (alcohol duty, fuel duty, vehicle excise duty), with income tax thresholds, NI rates and structural reforms following on 6 April of the next tax year. The 2026 Autumn Budget is expected in mid-to-late November 2026, with any income-tax changes taking effect from 6 April 2027.

UK Tax Calendar 2026/27

A month-by-month guide to every UK tax deadline that falls between 6 April 2026 and 5 April 2027, plus the continuous monthly cadence for PAYE, CIS, VAT and the new Making Tax Digital for Income Tax quarterly updates that begin in April 2026. Every date traces to a gov.uk source. Bookmark this page for the full tax year - the events build up gradually from a quiet June to a hectic January.

1. Overview

The UK tax calendar is built around two anchors: the 5 April tax-year boundary, which resets every personal allowance and caps every contribution, and the 31 January Self Assessment deadline, which carries both the previous year's balancing payment and the current year's first payment on account. Every other event in the calendar (the 6 July P11D deadline, the monthly 19th / 22nd PAYE remittance dates, the quarterly VAT cycle, the new MTD ITSA quarterly updates, the 5 October Self Assessment registration deadline, and the various penalty escalator triggers) hangs off those two anchors.

A standard UK taxpayer running a Self Assessment alongside PAYE employment has around twenty calendar events to track across the 2026/27 tax year. A sole trader operating as a VAT-registered limited company with one employee has closer to sixty when monthly PAYE, quarterly VAT, annual employer year-end and Corporation Tax payment dates are layered together. MTD ITSA adds four more quarterly events on top from April 2026 for anyone above the £50,000 gross-income threshold.

This page is the calendar view of the same information laid out by-tax in Tax Deadlines 2026/27. The deadlines page is faster if you know which tax you care about; this page is faster if you know which month you are in. Both pull from the same gov.uk sources, listed below the visualisation.

2. Key annual events

A condensed list of the dozen or so events that every UK taxpayer should be aware of. Each is expanded in the month-by-month section that follows.

5 April 2026: end of the 2025/26 tax year. ISA, pension AA, CGT, Gift Aid carry-back, EIS / SEIS carry-back all crystallise on this date.
6 April 2026: start of the 2026/27 tax year. New allowances active. MTD ITSA Phase 1 begins.
19 April 2026: final Full Payment Submission (FPS) for 2025/26 due to HMRC.
22 April 2026: month 12 PAYE payment due (electronic).
31 May 2026: P60 issuance to employees deadline.
6 July 2026: P11D / P11D(b) filing deadline with HMRC and employees.
19 / 22 July 2026: Class 1A NIC payment deadlines.
31 July 2026: second Self Assessment payment on account towards 2025/26.
5 October 2026: Self Assessment registration deadline for first-time 2025/26 filers.
31 October 2026: paper Self Assessment filing deadline.
Mid-late November 2026: Autumn Budget (date set by Treasury).
30 December 2026: online SA deadline for sub-£3,000 PAYE coding-out.
31 January 2027: SA online return, balancing payment, first PoA towards 2026/27.
1 February 2027: £100 SA late-filing penalty crystallises.
Mid-March 2027: Spring Statement (smaller fiscal event).
5 April 2027: end of the 2026/27 tax year.

3. Month-by-month detail

April 2026

The single most event-dense month in the UK tax calendar. April carries the year-end of the previous tax year, the year-start of the new one, the final PAYE submission for the prior year, and the personal-allowance reset overnight on the 5th to 6th.

5 April 2026: end of the 2025/26 tax year (Sunday). Allowance crystallisation - last day to make pension contributions, ISA top-ups, charitable Gift Aid donations with carry-back election, or CGT crystallisations against 2025/26 limits. The £20,000 ISA limit, £3,000 CGT exempt amount, £60,000 pension Annual Allowance (subject to tapering above £260,000 income) all expire at midnight.
6 April 2026: start of the 2026/27 tax year. New personal allowance of £12,570 (frozen until 2028), new ISA / pension / CGT allowances active. MTD ITSA Phase 1 mandatory for sole traders and landlords with combined gross self-employment plus property income above £50,000.
19 April 2026: deadline for the final Full Payment Submission (FPS) and Employer Payment Summary (EPS) for the 2025/26 tax year, marked "final submission for the year". Late filing triggers RTI penalties from the £100 / £200 / £300 / £400 monthly scale depending on employer size.
19 April 2026: postal deadline for month 12 PAYE / Class 1 NI / student loan / Apprenticeship Levy covering pay between 6 March and 5 April 2026.
22 April 2026: electronic deadline for the same month 12 PAYE liability. Same amount, three days later in cleared funds.

May 2026

May is dominated by P60 issuance and the normal monthly PAYE cycle. VAT-registered businesses with a 31 March quarter end file their return and pay by 7 May.

1 May 2026: penalty escalator kicks in for any 2024/25 Self Assessment returns still outstanding from 31 January 2026 - daily £10 penalty starts, capped at £900 after 90 days.
7 May 2026: VAT return and payment due for businesses with quarter ending 31 March 2026.
7 May 2026: MTD ITSA Q4 quarterly update due for the 2025/26 tax year (anyone who was in MTD ITSA voluntarily during 2025/26 - mandatory year does not start until 6 April 2026 so this affects pilot participants only).
19 May 2026: postal deadline for month 1 PAYE (pay between 6 April and 5 May 2026).
22 May 2026: electronic deadline for month 1 PAYE.
31 May 2026: deadline to issue P60 forms to every employee on the payroll on 5 April 2026. Can be issued electronically (PDF) if the employee has agreed. Late issuance attracts penalties of up to £300 plus £60 per day continuing default.

June 2026

The quietest month of the UK tax calendar. No annual deadline falls in June. The normal monthly PAYE / CIS cadence continues, VAT-registered businesses with a 30 April quarter end file by 7 June, and QIP-paying companies with an April year-end have an instalment due on 14 June. June is typically used by accountants to start pre-filing work on Self Assessment returns due seven months later, and to gather P11D data for the 6 July deadline.

7 June 2026: VAT return and payment due for businesses with quarter ending 30 April 2026.
14 June 2026: Corporation Tax QIP instalment for very large companies with a 1 April 2026 accounting period start (month 3 instalment under the very-large regime).
19 June 2026: postal deadline for month 2 PAYE / CIS300 / CIS deductions covering 6 May to 5 June 2026.
22 June 2026: electronic deadline for month 2 PAYE / CIS.

July 2026

July is the third-busiest month after April and January. The P11D filing deadline, two Class 1A NIC payment deadlines, and the second Self Assessment payment on account all fall in the same fortnight.

6 July 2026: deadline to file P11D (benefits in kind) and P11D(b) (Class 1A NIC declaration) forms with HMRC, and to give each employee a copy of their P11D (or a written statement of payrolled benefits). Late filing triggers a £100 per month penalty per 50 employees, escalating after four months.
6 July 2026: Employment Related Securities (ERS) annual return deadline for share schemes (EMI, CSOP, SAYE, SIP, unapproved). £100 fixed penalty for late filing, escalating.
6 July 2026: PAYE Settlement Agreement (PSA) deadline to agree the PSA with HMRC for the 2025/26 tax year.
7 July 2026: VAT return and payment due for businesses with quarter ending 31 May 2026.
19 July 2026: postal deadline to pay Class 1A NIC on benefits in kind reported via P11D(b) for 2025/26.
19 July 2026: postal deadline for month 3 PAYE (pay between 6 June and 5 July 2026). Quarterly PAYE filers (small employers with average monthly PAYE under £1,500) have their Q1 payment due on the same date.
22 July 2026: electronic deadline for Class 1A NIC. Same liability as 19 July but three days later in cleared funds.
22 July 2026: electronic deadline for month 3 PAYE and for quarterly Q1 PAYE.
31 July 2026: second Self Assessment payment on account towards 2025/26 (the other 50% of the 2024/25 liability, where applicable). No return to file; payment-only deadline. The first opportunity to reduce payments on account using form SA303 or your online account if 2025/26 income is below 2024/25.

August 2026

August is comparatively quiet on annual events but kicks off two penalty escalators. The first MTD ITSA Phase 1 quarterly update for the 2026/27 mandatory year is also due.

1 August 2026: Self Assessment six-month late-filing penalty crystallises for any 2024/25 returns still outstanding - another £300 or 5% of tax due, whichever higher.
1 August 2026: 5% late-payment penalty crystallises for any 2024/25 SA balancing payment still unpaid from 31 January 2026 (six months overdue).
7 August 2026: MTD ITSA Q1 quarterly update due for 2026/27 (covering 6 April to 5 July 2026) - first mandatory quarterly update under Phase 1.
7 August 2026: VAT return and payment due for businesses with quarter ending 30 June 2026.
19 August 2026: postal deadline for month 4 PAYE / CIS.
22 August 2026: electronic deadline for month 4 PAYE / CIS.

September 2026

One annual deadline: Gift Aid claim cut-off for charities claiming the prior tax year. The normal monthly cadence continues.

7 September 2026: VAT return and payment due for businesses with quarter ending 31 July 2026.
19 September 2026: postal deadline for month 5 PAYE / CIS.
22 September 2026: electronic deadline for month 5 PAYE / CIS.
30 September 2026: Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS) claim deadline for charities claiming on small cash and contactless donations received during the 2025/26 tax year. Two-year claim window in general but the 30 September date is the practical industry deadline used by most charity software.

October 2026

October is when the Self Assessment season begins. New filers must register by 5 October; paper filers must file by 31 October. The Autumn Budget speech typically falls in late October or November, set by Treasury about six weeks in advance.

5 October 2026: deadline to register for Self Assessment for the 2025/26 tax year if 2025/26 was your first year of liability (started self-employment, breached HICBC threshold, crossed £150,000 income, received dividends above the £500 allowance, received property income above £1,000 trading allowance). HMRC issues a UTR by post within 10 working days plus an activation code; allow three weeks between registration and first filing.
7 October 2026: VAT return and payment due for businesses with quarter ending 31 August 2026.
19 October 2026: postal deadline for month 6 PAYE / CIS. PSA tax payment for the 2025/26 tax year also due (the agreement having been finalised by 6 July 2026).
22 October 2026: electronic deadline for month 6 PAYE / CIS and for PSA payment.
31 October 2026: paper Self Assessment return deadline for 2025/26. The SA100 paper form must arrive at HMRC by midnight. Almost nobody uses paper now but the deadline still applies and HMRC rejects paper returns submitted after this date even though the online deadline has not passed.

November 2026

November typically hosts the Autumn Budget, the Chancellor's main fiscal event of the year. The exact date is set by the Treasury about six weeks in advance; recent years have settled on a late-November Wednesday. MTD ITSA Q2 quarterly update for 2026/27 is also due.

Mid-to-late November 2026: Autumn Budget speech by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Budget Resolution gives immediate effect to most personal-tax changes (alcohol duty, fuel duty, VED) with income tax thresholds, NI rates and structural reforms following on 6 April 2027.
7 November 2026: MTD ITSA Q2 quarterly update due for 2026/27 (covering 6 July to 5 October 2026).
7 November 2026: VAT return and payment due for businesses with quarter ending 30 September 2026.
19 November 2026: postal deadline for month 7 PAYE / CIS.
22 November 2026: electronic deadline for month 7 PAYE / CIS.

December 2026

December is the last chance to file Self Assessment online with the option to collect any sub-£3,000 balancing payment through next year's PAYE tax code. Companies with a 31 March year end have their statutory accounts due at Companies House on 31 December.

7 December 2026: VAT return and payment due for businesses with quarter ending 31 October 2026.
19 December 2026: postal deadline for month 8 PAYE / CIS.
22 December 2026: electronic deadline for month 8 PAYE / CIS.
30 December 2026: online Self Assessment filing deadline if you want HMRC to collect any 2025/26 balancing payment under £3,000 through your 2027/28 PAYE tax code. After this date, balancing payments cannot be coded out and must be paid as a lump sum by 31 January 2027. Useful if cash flow is tight and you have a PAYE income to absorb the tax across twelve months.
31 December 2026: full statutory accounts due at Companies House for companies with a 31 March 2026 accounting period end (9 months after period end).

January 2027

The most critical date in the UK tax calendar by liability volume. 31 January carries the Self Assessment online return, the balancing payment for 2025/26, the first payment on account for 2026/27, the PSA liability, the ATED-related disposal reporting deadline, and the amendment window closure for the 2024/25 return. The financial-services and accountancy industries effectively halt non-SA work for the last three weeks of January.

1 January 2027: Corporation Tax payment due for companies with accounting period ending 31 March 2026 (9 months and 1 day after period end). You must calculate and pay the CT bill in advance of filing the return.
7 January 2027: VAT return and payment due for businesses with quarter ending 30 November 2026.
19 January 2027: postal deadline for month 9 PAYE / CIS. Quarterly Q3 PAYE filers also due.
22 January 2027: electronic deadline for month 9 PAYE / CIS and Q3 PAYE.
31 January 2027: Self Assessment online return deadline for 2025/26. Balancing payment for 2025/26 due. First payment on account towards 2026/27 due (50% of 2025/26 liability if it exceeded £1,000 and less than 80% was collected at source).
31 January 2027: PAYE Settlement Agreement (PSA) liability for 2025/26 payable by employers operating a PSA.
31 January 2027: amendment window closes for the 2024/25 Self Assessment return - 12 months from the original 31 January 2026 filing deadline. Amendments after this date require an "overpayment relief claim" within 4 years of the end of the tax year.
31 January 2027: Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED) - SA-related disposal reporting if applicable.

February 2027

February is when the £100 Self Assessment penalty crystallises and when most P2 coding notices for the upcoming 2027/28 tax year are issued. MTD ITSA Q3 quarterly update is also due.

1 February 2027: £100 automatic late-filing penalty crystallises for any 2025/26 Self Assessment returns not filed by 31 January 2027. Applies even if no tax is owed or a refund is due (Donaldson v HMRC, 2016).
1 February 2027: HMRC interest starts accruing daily on any unpaid 2025/26 SA balancing payment or 2026/27 first payment on account, at the Bank of England base rate plus 2.5 percentage points.
7 February 2027: MTD ITSA Q3 quarterly update due for 2026/27 (covering 6 October 2026 to 5 January 2027).
7 February 2027: VAT return and payment due for businesses with quarter ending 31 December 2026.
February 2027 (no fixed date): bulk of P2 coding notices for the 2027/28 tax year issued by HMRC to taxpayers. Most arrive between mid-February and mid-March; the new code takes effect from the first pay date on or after 6 April 2027.
19 February 2027: postal deadline for month 10 PAYE / CIS.
22 February 2027: electronic deadline for month 10 PAYE / CIS.

March 2027

March hosts the Spring Statement, the smaller of the Chancellor's two fiscal events. Most companies with a March year-end run their final period planning, and employers receive P9 codes through their payroll software for the 6 April 2027 reset.

Mid-March 2027 (date set by Treasury): Spring Statement delivered by the Chancellor of the Exchequer alongside the OBR forecast update. Smaller than the Autumn Budget; positioned as a forecast update rather than a tax-changing event though structural in-year adjustments do occur.
7 March 2027: VAT return and payment due for businesses with quarter ending 31 January 2027.
19 March 2027: postal deadline for month 11 PAYE / CIS.
22 March 2027: electronic deadline for month 11 PAYE / CIS.
March 2027 (no fixed date): employers receive P9 tax codes through payroll software for the 2027/28 tax year. Apply from the first pay date on or after 6 April 2027.
31 March 2027: CT600 return filing deadline for companies with accounting period ending 31 March 2026 (12 months after period end). Late filing triggers £100 penalty, rising to £200 after three months, plus 10% surcharges at 18 and 24 months.

April 2027 (year boundary)

The 2026/27 tax year closes and the 2027/28 cycle begins. The same April pattern repeats - the final FPS for 2026/27 is due on 19 April 2027, allowances reset on 6 April 2027, and MTD ITSA Phase 2 begins for sole traders and landlords above the £30,000 gross-income threshold.

5 April 2027: end of the 2026/27 tax year. Final allowance crystallisation date.
6 April 2027: start of the 2027/28 tax year. New allowances active. MTD ITSA Phase 2 mandatory for combined gross self-employment plus property income above £30,000.

4. Continuous monthly cadence

Three recurring obligations run every single month of the 2026/27 cycle, independent of the annual events above. Together they create a steady drumbeat of compliance work for any business with employees, VAT registration or Self Assessment under MTD ITSA.

PAYE monthly (tax month 6th to 5th). The employer remits income tax deducted, employee Class 1 NI, employer Class 1 NI, student loan deductions and any Apprenticeship Levy to HMRC by:

19th of each month if paying by post (cheque). HMRC must receive the cheque by this date.
22nd of each month if paying electronically. Funds must be cleared in HMRC's account on this date.

CIS monthly. Contractors operating under the Construction Industry Scheme file a CIS300 return reporting all subcontractor payments by the 19th of each month for the tax month ending the 5th. CIS deductions are payable on the same 19th (postal) / 22nd (electronic) schedule as PAYE - and typically combined into one remittance. Nil returns are mandatory when no payments were made.

VAT quarterly. VAT-registered businesses file and pay one month plus seven days after each quarter end. HMRC allocates one of three stagger groups at registration - March / June / September / December, April / July / October / January, or May / August / November / February. So a March-stagger business has return deadlines on 7 May, 7 August, 7 November and 7 February. Direct debit collections occur three working days after the return deadline.

MTD ITSA quarterly (new from April 2026). For sole traders and landlords above the £50,000 gross-income threshold, four mandatory quarterly updates land in the calendar. For the standard 6 April / 5 July / 5 October / 5 January quarter ends the deadlines are 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May. See section 6 below.

5. Penalty cliff dates

Each tax regime escalates penalties at fixed points after the missed deadline. These cliff dates compound across the calendar - a missed 31 January 2026 SA filing triggers a cascade of charges running through 2026 and into 2027.

Self Assessment late filing (2025/26 return example, missed 31 January 2027):

1 February 2027: £100 fixed.
1 May 2027: daily £10 penalty starts, capped at £900 after 90 days.
1 August 2027: another £300 or 5% of tax due, whichever higher.
1 February 2028: another £300 or 5%, up to 70% for deliberate failure, 100% for deliberate and concealed.

Self Assessment late payment:

Day 30: 5% of unpaid tax.
Day 180: another 5%.
Day 365: another 5%.
Daily interest from day 1 at base rate plus 2.5 percentage points.

VAT late payment (post-April 2023 regime):

Days 1 to 15: no penalty (grace period for Time to Pay agreements).
Days 16 to 30: 2% of unpaid VAT.
Day 31 onwards: another 2% (so 4% total) plus a daily 4% annualised charge until paid.

PAYE / RTI late filing. Per-month penalty after the first missed FPS in a tax year: £100 (1 to 9 employees), £200 (10 to 49), £300 (50 to 249), £400 (250+). Inaccuracy penalties up to 100% of underpaid tax.

Corporation Tax. £100 immediately if the CT600 is late, £200 if more than three months late, plus 10% surcharge on unpaid CT at 18 months and another 10% at 24 months. Late payment: daily interest from day 1 at base rate plus 2.5%, no fixed penalty until 12 months overdue.

For the full schedule across every UK tax, see the HMRC penalties guide. For penalty appeals, see the penalty calendar in the deadlines view.

6. MTD ITSA quarterly cycle

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD ITSA) starts on 6 April 2026 for sole traders and landlords with combined gross self-employment plus property income above £50,000 measured against the 2024/25 SA return. Above the threshold, the standard annual SA100 return is no longer available - MTD-compatible software submitting quarterly updates is mandatory.

Quarterly update deadlines are the 7th of the month following each quarter end. For the standard 6 April / 5 July / 5 October / 5 January quarter ends:

Q1 (6 April to 5 July 2026): due 7 August 2026.
Q2 (6 July to 5 October 2026): due 7 November 2026.
Q3 (6 October 2026 to 5 January 2027): due 7 February 2027.
Q4 (6 January to 5 April 2027): due 7 May 2027.

Quarterly updates are a cumulative summary of income and expenditure to date, not a calculation of tax due. The actual tax liability is calculated at year-end via an end-of-period statement (EOPS) and a final declaration, both due by 31 January following the tax year end (so 31 January 2028 for 2026/27). The 31 January payment deadline for the balancing payment is unchanged.

Phase 2 begins 6 April 2027 for combined gross income above £30,000 measured against the 2025/26 return. Phase 3 covering income above £20,000 is planned but not scheduled. Software exemptions exist for digitally excluded taxpayers but are granted case by case via the gov.uk MTD ITSA collection.

7. Year-end checklist (5 April 2026 / 5 April 2027)

The tax-year boundary is the deadline for several reliefs and allowances. None of these carry forward in full - some (pension AA, EIS / SEIS, Gift Aid) carry partial backwards election, but most expire at midnight on 5 April.

ISA allowance: £20,000 (£9,000 Junior ISA, £4,000 Lifetime ISA). Use it or lose it.
Pension Annual Allowance: £60,000 (tapered above £260,000 adjusted income). Unused AA from the previous three tax years can be carried forward, so 2022/23 unused AA is the last year usable in 2025/26 contributions made before 5 April 2026.
CGT annual exempt amount: £3,000 from 6 April 2024 onwards. Gains accrued must be crystallised before 5 April to use the year's allowance.
Gift Aid carry-back: donations made in the new tax year can be treated as paid in the prior year if the SA return is filed with the carry-back election by 31 January.
Dividend allowance: £500 from 6 April 2024 onwards. Below the allowance no tax is due even within Self Assessment scope.
Personal savings allowance: £1,000 (basic rate), £500 (higher rate), £0 (additional rate). Resets on 6 April.
EIS / SEIS / VCT: carry-back election to apply current-year investments to the prior tax year.
Marriage Allowance: claim backdating allowed up to four years.

The dedicated Tax year-end checklist walks through each of these in full.

8. Annual cycle visualisation

A compressed view of the 2026/27 cycle from busiest month to quietest, ranked by liability volume rather than event count.

Tier 1 - Critical (J / A): 31 January 2027 Self Assessment online return, balancing payment, first payment on account, PSA, ATED, amendment closure. 5 to 6 April 2026 / 2027 tax-year boundary, allowance reset, ISA / pension / CGT crystallisation.
Tier 2 - Major (J / O): 6 July 2026 P11D, ERS, PSA agreement. 19 / 22 July 2026 Class 1A NIC. 31 July 2026 second SA payment on account. 5 October 2026 SA registration. 31 October 2026 paper SA.
Tier 3 - Continuous: monthly 19th / 22nd PAYE / CIS, quarterly VAT (every 7th of return-month), quarterly MTD ITSA (7 Aug / Nov / Feb / May).
Tier 4 - Policy events: Autumn Budget mid-to-late November 2026, Spring Statement mid-March 2027. Date set by Treasury about six weeks ahead. Most personal-tax changes take effect from the following 6 April.
Tier 5 - Penalty cliffs: 1 February (SA £100), 1 May (SA daily), 1 August (SA 5% + £300), 1 February next year (SA 5% + £300).

Frequently asked questions

When does the 2026/27 UK tax year start and end?: The 2026/27 UK tax year runs from 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027. The personal allowance, ISA allowance, pension annual allowance, CGT annual exempt amount and most other personal allowances reset on the morning of 6 April. The tax-year boundary is a legacy of the 1752 calendar reform when the start of the legal year moved from Lady Day (25 March) to 1 January but tax authorities preserved the old start point through subsequent calendar adjustments. There is no proposal currently in Parliament to move the boundary to the calendar year despite an Office of Tax Simplification recommendation in 2021.
Which month has the most UK tax deadlines?: January is the most active month by liability volume - 31 January carries the Self Assessment online return deadline, the balancing payment for the prior tax year, the first payment on account for the current tax year, the PAYE Settlement Agreement payment deadline, the ATED-related disposal reporting deadline, and the amendment window closure for the year before. April is the most active month by event count - the year ends on 5 April, the new year starts on 6 April, the final FPS for the previous year is due on 19 April, the final monthly PAYE for the previous year is due on 22 April, and ISA / pension / CGT allowances reset overnight. July ranks third on liability - 6 July is the P11D deadline, 19 / 22 July are the Class 1A NIC payment deadlines, and 31 July is the second payment on account.
What happens if a UK tax deadline falls on a weekend or bank holiday?: Payment deadlines move to the next working day automatically - HMRC accepts cleared funds on the working day after a weekend or bank holiday without late-payment penalty if the original due date was the weekend or holiday itself. Filing deadlines are fixed regardless. So a 31 January Self Assessment return that falls on a Saturday must still be filed by midnight Saturday, but any payment due on the same date can be cleared on the following Monday without interest. The Bank of England settlement calendar (not the standard banking calendar) governs which days count as working days for HMRC payment clearance.
When does Making Tax Digital for Income Tax start?: Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD ITSA) Phase 1 starts on 6 April 2026 for sole traders and landlords with combined gross self-employment plus property income above £50,000 measured against the 2024/25 tax return. Phase 2 follows on 6 April 2027 for combined gross income above £30,000 measured against the 2025/26 return. Phase 3 covering income above £20,000 is planned but not scheduled. Above the threshold the standard annual SA100 return is no longer available - MTD-compatible software submitting quarterly updates is mandatory. Quarterly update deadlines are 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May for the standard 6 April / 5 July / 5 October / 5 January quarter ends.
When do P60s and P11Ds need to be issued?: P60 forms summarising each employee's annual pay and deductions must be issued to every employee on the payroll on 5 April by 31 May - so 31 May 2026 for the 2025/26 tax year. P11D forms reporting benefits in kind and P11D(b) declaring the Class 1A NIC due must be filed with HMRC by 6 July, and a copy of the P11D must also be given to each employee by the same 6 July date. Class 1A NIC payment is due 19 July (postal) or 22 July (electronic). All three forms can be issued electronically (PDF) if the employee has agreed to electronic delivery in advance. Late P60 issuance can attract penalties of up to £300 plus £60 per day continuing default; late P11D filing triggers £100 per month penalty per 50 employees.
Are there UK tax deadlines in June?: June carries no annual tax deadlines on a specific calendar date. However the standard monthly PAYE and CIS cadence still applies - 19 June for postal PAYE / CIS payments covering 6 May to 5 June, and 22 June for electronic. VAT-registered businesses with a 31 May quarter end have a 7 July return deadline (one month and seven days), and QIP-paying companies with an April year-end have an instalment due on 14 June. June is the only month with no annual-cycle deadline; it is typically used by accountants for SA pre-filing work on returns due seven months later.
What is the Spring Statement?: The Spring Statement is the smaller of the Chancellor's two fiscal events, usually delivered in March alongside the Office for Budget Responsibility's economic forecast update. Since 2017 the main fiscal event is the Autumn Budget; the Spring Statement is positioned as a forecast update rather than a tax-changing event, though Chancellors regularly use it for in-year tax adjustments. The exact date varies but typically falls in the first half of March. Any tax changes announced at Spring Statement that affect personal taxation usually take effect from 6 April of the same year if they are uprating allowances or rates, or from a specified later date if they are structural reforms.
Do I have to pay tax twice a year on Self Assessment?: If you file Self Assessment and your previous year tax bill exceeded £1,000 (with less than 80% collected at source via PAYE), HMRC requires payments on account. Each is 50% of the previous year's tax liability. The first instalment is due 31 January alongside the balancing payment for the prior year. The second instalment is due 31 July. The balancing payment the following 31 January reconciles both payments against actual liability. If your income has dropped, you can apply to reduce the payments on account using form SA303 or via your online account, but HMRC charges interest if the reduction turns out to be excessive.
What is the penalty for missing 31 January?: Missing the 31 January Self Assessment online filing deadline triggers an automatic £100 fixed penalty the day after, regardless of whether tax is owed. From 1 May (three months late) HMRC adds £10 per day for up to 90 days, capping daily penalties at £900. At six months late (1 August) HMRC adds another £300 or 5% of tax due, whichever is greater. At twelve months late a further £300 or 5% applies. Late payment penalties stack on top - 5% of unpaid tax at 30 days, 6 months and 12 months, plus daily interest at the Bank of England base rate plus 2.5 percentage points. The £100 penalty stands even if you owe no tax or are due a refund (Donaldson v HMRC, 2016).
When is Class 1A National Insurance due?: Class 1A National Insurance is the employer-only contribution on benefits in kind reported via P11D(b). For the 2025/26 tax year the payment is due 19 July 2026 if paying by post (cheque) or 22 July 2026 if paying electronically. The Class 1A rate is 15% of the cash equivalent of the benefit for the 2025/26 tax year (rising in line with employer Class 1 NI). Late payment attracts daily interest at the Bank of England base rate plus 2.5 percentage points from the day after the due date, plus a 5% surcharge if unpaid 30 days after the due date. The payment can be made via Faster Payments, BACS, CHAPS, direct debit, online banking or by cheque to HMRC Cumbernauld.
When can I register for Self Assessment?: You can register for Self Assessment at any point during the tax year in which you became liable, but the hard deadline is 5 October following the end of that tax year. So for 2025/26 the registration deadline is 5 October 2026, and for 2026/27 it is 5 October 2027. Register at gov.uk/register-for-self-assessment by completing form SA1 (for non-self-employed reasons such as HICBC, dividends above the £500 allowance, or capital gains above the annual exempt amount) or form CWF1 (for self-employment). HMRC then issues a Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) by post within 10 working days, followed by an activation code for the online service. Allow three weeks total between registration and first filing.
When is the Autumn Budget delivered?: The Autumn Budget is the Chancellor's main fiscal event each year, typically delivered between late October and late November. Since 2017 the calendar has settled on late November for the Budget speech and late March for the Spring Statement. The exact date is announced by the Treasury about six weeks in advance. The Budget Resolution gives most personal-tax changes immediate effect (alcohol duty, fuel duty, vehicle excise duty), with income tax thresholds, NI rates and structural reforms following on 6 April of the next tax year. The 2026 Autumn Budget is expected in mid-to-late November 2026, with any income-tax changes taking effect from 6 April 2027.

Tax deadlines 2026/27 - the same dates organised by tax type rather than calendar month.
Tax year-end checklist - what to action before 5 April to use ISA, pension and CGT allowances.
Self-employed calculator - model your Income Tax and Class 2 / Class 4 NI ahead of the 31 January Self Assessment deadline.
PAYE vs Self Assessment - decision tree for whether you need to file an SA return.
VAT calculator - work out the VAT element of any gross or net figure for your quarterly return.
Corporation Tax calculator - model your CT bill with main-rate, small-profits-rate and marginal relief logic.
CIS calculator - calculate the 20% / 30% deduction on subcontractor payments.
P11D / BIK calculator - model Class 1A NIC due 22 July on benefits in kind.
Apprenticeship Levy calculator - 0.5% levy on payrolls above £3m, paid monthly with PAYE.
HMRC penalties guide - full schedule of penalties across every UK tax with appeals process.
MTD ITSA 2026 timeline - quarterly reporting under Making Tax Digital from April 2026.
HICBC explained - one of the most common reasons new filers enter Self Assessment.
Self Assessment step by step - filing walkthrough for first-time filers.
How UK tax works - the canonical primer covering PAYE, NIC, Self Assessment and tax codes from scratch.