Please send us your tax information as soon as the necessary records are available after 5 April. Leaving it until December or January gives you less time to budget for tax and leaves us less time to resolve anything that needs attention.
For the tax year ended 5 April 2026, the normal online filing deadline is 31 January 2027. That is the final legal deadline, so your information needs to reach us much earlier. If you have not yet sent your 2025/26 records, please contact us now.
1. Find out what you owe before the payment is due
An early tax return gives you time to plan for your bill. Knowing the amount several months ahead allows you to set money aside gradually, rather than finding out in January that you need to pay a substantial sum within days.
Filing your return early does not bring the normal payment deadline forward. The usual deadline for the balancing payment remains 31 January. Where payments on account apply, the first is also due on 31 January and the second on 31 July.
Payments on account are advance payments towards your next tax bill. For example, a first bill of £6,000 for income tax and Class 4 National Insurance could mean £9,000 to pay in January, if payments on account apply: the £6,000 bill plus £3,000 towards the next year. A further £3,000 payment on account would then be due in July. Finding that out early makes a considerable difference to your budgeting.
2. Allow time to check your income and eligible claims
A tax return may include more than your main business or employment income. Rental income, dividends, savings interest, pensions or asset sales can also need attention. We need a complete picture to prepare an accurate return.
Early information gives us time to investigate gaps and check eligible expenses, pension contributions, Gift Aid and other relevant reliefs. It is easier to find missing paperwork while there is time to obtain it. Sending a bundle of records in January does not remove the need to check and explain the figures.
3. Repayments and changes in circumstances can be addressed sooner
If you are due a repayment, filing earlier allows HMRC to process it sooner, subject to its checks. If your income has fallen or your circumstances have changed, we can review whether payments on account should be adjusted. A reduction must be supported by a realistic estimate; reducing them too far can result in interest.
A completed return can also help provide evidence of income for a mortgage or finance application. Leaving it late can delay an application when the lender needs your tax figures.
4. Leaving your information late puts completion at risk
January is particularly busy for tax returns. We need time to prepare your return, raise any questions and obtain your approval before filing. If a bank statement or investment certificate is missing, obtaining it may take longer than the time remaining.
Late information can leave you with a tax bill you have not budgeted for, less time to check your return and a greater risk of missing the deadline. Late filing can lead to penalties, while late payment can result in interest and, where applicable, further penalties.
We cannot guarantee completion by the filing deadline when information arrives late or remains incomplete. Please allow time for the preparation and review, and respond promptly when we ask questions or send your return for approval.
Are there any drawbacks to getting organised early?
The main practical drawback is setting aside time to gather your information sooner. Some documents, such as investment tax statements, arrive later than others. Let us know what is outstanding so we can agree what to do next. There is no need to wait silently until every document has arrived before contacting us.
Early filing does not automatically reduce your tax bill. Its value is having time to prepare an accurate return, consider eligible claims and plan for payment. Waiting until January does not extend the normal payment deadline.
Please send your information as soon as it is available
Depending on your circumstances, we may need:
- Business income and expense records, or details of rental income and costs.
- Employment and pension information, including relevant P60s and P11Ds.
- Interest, dividend and investment statements, plus details of asset sales.
- Pension contributions, Gift Aid donations and details of other relevant changes.
Here are a few simple steps to help you get started:
- Prepare: keep your records and income details together through the year, so they are ready to send to us as soon as the tax year ends.
- Make a start: you do not need to gather everything in one sitting. Send us what you have, then add the rest as it arrives. Breaking the job into smaller steps makes it far more manageable.
- Take your time: an accurate tax return means you claim the expenses and reliefs you are entitled to, so you do not pay more tax than you need to.
- Budget: once you know what you owe, plan how you will pay it. Setting money aside each month, or using HMRC’s Budget Payment Plan to pay in regular instalments, avoids facing one large bill all at once.
Aim to provide your information in spring or summer once the necessary statements are available. If that has not happened this year, please act now. Contact your usual APH adviser if you are unsure what to send or need help getting started.
GOV.UK guidance: Tax return deadlines | Early filing | Payments on account