UK tax & HMRC deadlines calendar
Every filing and payment date HMRC and Companies House set for UK businesses, in one place. Tell us what applies to you and we'll cut the list down to just your dates.
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Tick everything that applies, plenty of people are more than one.
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Showing every deadline. Tick what applies to you above to filter the list down.
Self Assessment (Income Tax)
Sole traders, partners and landlords report income this way. Company directors sometimes need to as well, for example if you take dividends or have other untaxed income.
Register for Self Assessment
If this is your first year needing to file, HMRC must know by 5 October following the end of the tax year you started.
Paper tax return deadline
Paper returns are due earlier than online ones. HMRC must receive it by 31 October, or a late-filing penalty applies.
Online tax return & balancing payment
File online and pay any tax owed for the year by 31 January. This is the deadline that catches people out most.
First payment on account
If HMRC has you paying tax in advance, the first instalment towards next year’s bill is due alongside your balancing payment.
Second payment on account
The second advance instalment towards the current tax year, six months after the first.
VAT
Your exact VAT quarter dates depend on your stagger group (there are three: Jan/Apr/Jul/Oct, Feb/May/Aug/Nov, or Mar/Jun/Sep/Dec). Check your VAT online account or your latest return for your actual dates.
Register for VAT
You must register once your VAT-taxable turnover passes £90,000 in any rolling 12-month period, or if you expect to within the next 30 days.
VAT return & payment
Both filing and payment are due together, one calendar month and 7 days after the end of your VAT quarter, under Making Tax Digital.
PAYE & payroll
If you run payroll, whether for staff or paying yourself a director’s salary, these deadlines are monthly and annual.
Monthly PAYE & National Insurance
Pay HMRC what you’ve deducted from wages by the 22nd if paying electronically (19th if by post), for the previous tax month.
Give employees their P60
Every employee on your payroll at 5 April must have a P60 summarising their pay and deductions for the year by 31 May.
P11D & Class 1A NIC
Report expenses and benefits in kind (company cars, private medical, etc.) by 6 July, then pay the Class 1A NIC on them by 22 July.
Corporation Tax
These dates run from your company’s own year end, not a fixed calendar date, so they’re different for every company.
Pay Corporation Tax
Corporation Tax is due earlier than the return itself, 9 months and 1 day after your company’s accounting period ends.
File your Company Tax Return (CT600)
You have a full 12 months from your year end to file, three months longer than you get to pay.
Companies House
Separate from HMRC, but just as strict, missed Companies House deadlines can lead to your company being struck off.
File annual accounts
Private limited companies file 9 months after their accounting reference date (21 months after incorporation for your very first accounts).
Confirmation statement
Confirms your company’s details are up to date at Companies House. Due every 12 months, with a 14-day window to file it.
Construction Industry Scheme (CIS)
If you’re a contractor paying subcontractors in construction, CIS has its own monthly cycle.
Monthly CIS return
Contractors must submit a return for each tax month showing payments made to subcontractors and any deductions, by the 19th.
Pay CIS deductions to HMRC
The deductions withheld from subcontractors are due to HMRC by the 22nd if paying electronically.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax
From April 2026, sole traders and landlords above the income threshold file quarterly instead of once a year. See our full Making Tax Digital guide for whether this affects you.
Quarterly update 1
Covers income and expenses for 6 April to 5 July.
Quarterly update 2
Covers 6 July to 5 October.
Quarterly update 3
Covers 6 October to 5 January.
Quarterly update 4
Covers 6 January to 5 April.
Final declaration
Confirms your figures for the year and replaces the old annual Self Assessment return.
Nothing matches that combination, try ticking a business type in the first group above.
Missed deadlines aren’t just a slap on the wrist
HMRC and Companies House penalties are automatic and start the moment a deadline passes, whether or not you actually owe any tax. A late Self Assessment return is £100 on day one, rising to daily fines after three months. Persistent late filing at Companies House can end with your company being struck off the register entirely.
Full breakdown of Self Assessment penaltiesThe easy fix
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What is the deadline to register for Self Assessment?
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When does Corporation Tax need to be paid?
What happens if I miss the Self Assessment deadline?
Can Companies House strike off my company for a late confirmation statement or accounts?
Do I need to do a Self Assessment tax return if I have a limited company?
Is this deadlines calendar the same every year?
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