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Trade tax calendar 2026/27

The tax year for a UK sole trader runs from 6 April to 5 April. The dates below are for the year 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027 and the jobs that follow it. Each one was read on gov.uk on 24 October 2026. The link is at the foot so you can check it.

If a deadline falls on a weekend or a bank holiday you must still meet it. For Self Assessment and VAT the payment must reach HMRC on the last working day before if you pay by Bacs or Direct Debit. Faster Payments and card can be made on the day.

5 October 2026 Tell HMRC you need to send a return

If you have not sent a Self Assessment return before you must tell HMRC by 5 October 2026 that you need to complete one for the previous year. You do this by registering for Self Assessment. This date comes from the Self Assessment deadlines page on gov.uk.

Miss it and you risk a failure to notify penalty if you then pay late. The amount is based on what is left to pay.

31 October 2026 Paper Self Assessment return due

HMRC must receive your paper return for 2025/26 by 11:59pm on 31 October 2026. You can send it any time on or after 6 April 2026.

Miss it and the late filing penalty starts. The fixed penalty is £100. After three months daily penalties of £10 a day can apply up to £900. After six months a further 5 percent of the tax due or £300 whichever is higher can be charged. After twelve months another 5 percent or £300 can be charged. This scale is on the Self Assessment penalties page on gov.uk.

19th of each month CIS monthly return

If you pay subcontractors for construction work you are a CIS contractor. You must send HMRC a CIS monthly return by the 19th of each month after the tax month. The tax month runs from the 6th to the 5th. So work paid in the month 6 May to 5 June must be reported by 19 June. You must also send a nil return if you paid no subcontractors that month or ask HMRC for inactivity. You must also declare that the subcontractors are not employees. A wrong employment status can carry a penalty up to £3,000.

Miss a CIS deadline and the penalty scale applies.

  • One day late is £100
  • Two months late is £200
  • Six months late is £300 or 5 percent of the CIS deductions on the return whichever is higher
  • Twelve months late is £300 or 5 percent whichever is higher

Late returns after that can carry up to £3,000 or 100 percent of the deductions. This scale is on the CIS monthly returns page on gov.uk.

Payment of the CIS deductions you have taken must be made on time as well. That is separate from the return.

31 January 2027 Online Self Assessment return and balancing payment

You must submit your online Self Assessment return for 2025/26 by 11:59pm on 31 January 2027. You must also pay the tax you owe for that year by the same time. This is the balancing payment plus any first payment on account. You can submit any time on or after 6 April 2026.

If you want to pay through your tax code you must submit by 30 December 2026. If you miss that you pay another way.

Miss the 31 January filing deadline and the same late filing scale as the paper deadline applies starting with £100. Miss the payment deadline and late payment penalties apply. They are 5 percent of tax unpaid at 30 days and again at 6 months and 12 months. Interest is also charged on what is owed. This is on the pay your Self Assessment bill page and the penalties page on gov.uk.

31 July 2027 Second payment on account

If you make payments on account you have a second payment on account due by 31 July 2027. Payments on account apply when your last Self Assessment bill was over £1,000 and you paid less than 80 percent through tax code or PAYE.

Miss it and the same late payment penalties can apply.

VAT returns One calendar month and seven days after the period

If you are VAT registered you must send a VAT return every three months. This is your accounting period. The deadline to submit online and for payment to reach HMRC is one calendar month and seven days after the end of the period. This is on the VAT returns page on gov.uk.

Example. A period ending 31 May 2027 is due by 7 July 2027.

You must submit even if you have no VAT to pay or reclaim.

Miss the return and VAT penalty points apply. HMRC gives a point each time you miss a submission deadline. At a set number of points a £200 penalty is charged. For quarterly returns the threshold is four points. This is on the penalties for late submission publication on gov.uk. Miss the payment and late payment penalties and interest can apply.

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Four updates a year

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax replaces part of Self Assessment for those over the income line. The four standard update periods for 2026/27 and their deadlines are set by HMRC.

  • 6 April to 5 July 2026. Send by 7 August 2026
  • 6 April to 5 October 2026. Send by 7 November 2026
  • 6 April to 5 January 2027. Send by 7 February 2027
  • 6 April to 5 April 2027. Send by 7 May 2027

Each update covers from 6 April to the end of the period. So the figures are cumulative through the year. The final update is a tax return for the year.

Who this applies to and what happens if you miss an update is on the Making Tax Digital for Income Tax page on gov.uk. The line for 2026/27 is over £50,000 of qualifying income in 2024/25. From April 2027 the line falls to £30,000 based on 2025/26. From April 2028 the line falls to £20,000 based on 2026/27. HMRC will write to those who need to use it based on the return already sent two years before. If you are required to use it from April 2026 HMRC has said it will not apply penalty points for late quarterly updates in the first year 2026/27. Penalties still apply for a late tax return or late payment.

Partnerships are not yet in this timetable. HMRC will set that date later.

Which deadlines cost money if missed

  • Self Assessment paper return late costs £100 then more if still late
  • Self Assessment online return late costs £100 then more if still late
  • Self Assessment payment late costs 5 percent at 30 days and again at 6 and 12 months plus interest
  • CIS monthly return late costs £100 then £200 then £300 or 5 percent and more after
  • VAT return late costs points then £200 at the threshold plus payment penalties and interest
  • Making Tax Digital quarterly late will cost points after the first year easement then £200 at the threshold for quarterly submissions. Tax return and payment penalties apply from the start

What to do next

Pick the dates that apply to you and put them in your diary with a reminder a week before. If you are a CIS contractor put the 19th in every month. If you are VAT registered put the one month and seven days rule on each period end. If you are near the Making Tax Digital line read the next page to check if you are in it and what to do this week.

Sources

Every date and rate above was read on gov.uk on 24 October 2026.

  • Self Assessment tax returns deadlines on gov.uk. https://www.gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns/deadlines. Paper by 31 October 2026 and online by 31 January 2027 for 2025/26. Register by 5 October. Payment by 31 January with payments on account.
  • Pay your Self Assessment bill on gov.uk. https://www.gov.uk/pay-self-assessment-tax-bill. Balancing payment and first payment on account 31 January. Second payment on account 31 July.
  • Self Assessment penalties on gov.uk. https://www.gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns/penalties. Late filing and late payment scales and interest.
  • CIS monthly returns on gov.uk. https://www.gov.uk/what-you-must-do-as-a-cis-contractor/file-your-monthly-returns. Deadline 19th of each month after the 6th to 5th tax month. Penalty scale and £3,000 for wrong employment status.
  • VAT returns on gov.uk. https://www.gov.uk/submit-vat-return. Deadline one calendar month and seven days after period end. Must submit even if nil.
  • Making Tax Digital for Income Tax on gov.uk. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-out-if-and-when-you-need-to-use-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax. Thresholds £50,000 from April 2026 based on 2024/25 and £30,000 from April 2027 and £20,000 from April 2028.
  • Penalties for late submission on gov.uk. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/penalties-for-late-submission/penalties-for-late-submission. Points model. Thresholds 2 for annual and 4 for quarterly and 5 for monthly. £200 per penalty.

Sources