UK tax deadlines
The deadlines that catch people out, and the ones that depend on your own year end. Worth a bookmark, whether or not you ever work with me.
Coming up
Add every deadline to your calendar
Updates itself, with a reminder a week before each date.
The year at a glance
The same every year, whatever your business. Making Tax Digital quarterly updates are marked in green for the current tax year.
January
February
March
No fixed dates. Watch for your own VAT and payroll dates.
April
May
June
No fixed dates. Watch for your own VAT and payroll dates.
July
August
September
No fixed dates. Watch for your own VAT and payroll dates.
OctoberThis month
November
December
No fixed dates. Watch for your own VAT and payroll dates.
Fixed dates
Listed from January. Every one applies each year.
31 January
Sole traders, landlords, company directors
Online tax return for the tax year ending the previous 5 April, plus any balancing payment owed and the first payment on account for the current year. The one everybody knows, and the one that causes the most January panic.
5 April
Everyone
The last day of the tax year. Anything you were planning to do for this year's tax position needs to be done by now, not after.
6 April
Everyone
New rates, new allowances, and the point at which Making Tax Digital obligations take effect for anyone newly brought into scope.
31 May
Employers
Every employee on the payroll at 5 April must have their P60 by this date.
6 July
Employers providing benefits
Report expenses and benefits provided to employees for the tax year just ended.
22 July
Employers providing benefits
Payment of Class 1A NIC on benefits reported on the P11D(b), where paying electronically.
31 July
Sole traders and landlords in the payments-on-account system
The second instalment towards the current tax year. Catches people out because there is no return to file alongside it, so it arrives with no warning.
5 October
Anyone newly self-employed or with new untaxed income
If you started trading or began receiving untaxed income in the tax year that ended the previous April, you must tell HMRC by this date.
31 October
Anyone filing on paper
Three months earlier than the online deadline, which is one of several reasons almost everybody now files online.
Making Tax Digital 2026/27
These are quarterly updates, not tax returns. The tax return for 2026/27 is still due by 31 January 2028.
Depends on your year end
These are rules rather than dates, counted from your own period end. The deadlines tool turns them into real dates for your business.
1 month + 7 days
VAT-registered businesses
After the end of each VAT quarter. A quarter ending 31 March is due by 7 May. Other VAT schemes, including annual accounting, work to different dates. Under Making Tax Digital these must be filed from compatible software.
9 months
Private limited companies
After your accounting reference date. First accounts after incorporation work differently and are usually due 21 months after the incorporation date.
9 months + 1 day
Limited companies
After the end of your accounting period. Note that the tax is payable before the return itself is due, which surprises a lot of first-time directors.
12 months
Limited companies
After the end of your accounting period.
12 months + 14 days
Limited companies
Your review period runs for 12 months from the date of incorporation, or from your last statement, and you then have 14 days to file. It is a check that the register is still correct rather than an accounts filing.
19th or 22nd
Employers
Of the month following the tax month. The 19th if paying by post, the 22nd if paying electronically. RTI submissions themselves are due on or before each payday.
That is most of what I do. Book a free 30-minute consultation and we can work out which of these dates actually apply to you.
Free 30-minute consultation. No obligation.