UK tax year deadline countdown
The UK tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April, and the Self Assessment deadlines hang off it. The big ones are midnight on 31 January for filing your online tax return and paying the balancing payment, 31 July for the second payment on account, midnight 31 October for paper returns, and 5 October to register for Self Assessment if you became self-employed. For the 2025 to 2026 tax year that ended 5 April 2026, the online filing and payment deadline is 31 January 2027. This page counts down live to whichever deadline is next.
The countdown refreshes automatically and lists the next several UK tax-year and Self Assessment deadlines with the exact date of each.
How this is worked out
The UK tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April. The self-assessment deadlines hang off that year, so the tool works them out for the current and next tax year and counts down to whichever is next.
tax year end = 5 April
register for self-assessment = 5 October after the tax year ends
paper tax return = midnight 31 October
online tax return + balancing payment = midnight 31 January
second payment on account = 31 July
days remaining = deadline date − today, counted to midnight
For example, for the 2025 to 2026 tax year (ended 5 April 2026), the online filing and payment deadline is 31 January 2027. Source: HMRC Self Assessment deadlines (gov.uk). This is general information, not tax advice: check gov.uk or your accountant for your own position.
Counting UK days for residence? See the Statutory Residence Test day counter, or the 2026 UK bank holidays.
Source: HMRC Self Assessment deadlines (gov.uk). General information, not tax advice. Check gov.uk or your accountant for your own position.
Common questions
When does the UK tax year start and end?
The UK tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April. The Self Assessment deadlines hang off that year, which is why they fall on fixed dates such as 31 January and 31 July.
When is the Self Assessment deadline?
The online tax return and the balancing payment are due by midnight on 31 January, the paper return by midnight on 31 October, and the second payment on account by 31 July. For the 2025 to 2026 tax year, the online deadline is 31 January 2027.
If a payment deadline falls on a weekend, do I get until Monday?
No. For a Self Assessment payment, HMRC says your money must reach them by the last working day before the deadline, not after, unless you use a method that clears the same day such as Faster Payments or a debit or credit card. The filing deadline date does not move to the next working day either, so treat the stated date as the date.
When do I need to register for Self Assessment?
If you became self-employed or need to file for the first time, register by 5 October following the end of the tax year. Source: HMRC Self Assessment deadlines (gov.uk). This is general information, not tax advice.
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Editor, Dates & Times
Oliver Mackman is the named editor of Dates & Times and a director of Best Business Loans Ltd (Companies House 16833937), the company that operates the site. He is accountable for its editorial standards, sourcing and corrections, and requires every result to cite the underlying date maths and the official UK source behind it, such as the gov.uk Bank Holidays API.
Last reviewed: 12 June 2026