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Tax deadline: 31 January

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If your taxes are not automatically deducted from your wages, pensions or savings, you will need to file a self-assessment tax return by midnight on 31 January.

Around 11.5 million tax returns are due this year. If you forget to file yours, you may be fined £100.

Who must pay their taxes this way?

You will need to file a tax return if, in the last tax year:

  • Your income from self-employment was more than £1,000
  • You earned more than £2,500 from renting out property
  • You earned more than £2,500 in other untaxed income
  • You had a P800 from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) saying you did not pay enough tax last year
  • You need to prove you’re self-employed, for example to claim Tax-Free Childcare
  • You want to make voluntary Class 2 National Insurance payments to help you qualify for benefits
  • Find out what other additional factors may mean you need to register for tax returns.

How much will I need to pay?

You need to pay any tax owed from 2017/18 and the first half of tax owed for 2018/19. The next half must be paid by 31 July 2019 and by January 2020 you will settle 2018/19’s tax bill, as you’re doing now for 2017/18.

How do I pay?

You can pay your tax bill by bank transfer, debit card or cheque. You can also pay at your bank or building society if you have a paying-in slip from HMRC.

HMRC accepts money under the Faster Payments system, which allows cash to go through in two hours. However, each bank has a limit on how much you can transfer under Faster Payments. The limits range from £5,000 to £100,000. 

You can no longer pay the bill using a personal credit card or at the Post Office.

What if I can’t afford to pay?

You will need to contact HMRC as soon as possible as you may be able to avoid a fine by coming to an arrangement to spread your payments over a period of time.

You will need a reasonable excuse for not paying your tax on time. Usually, something unexpected or outside of your control, such as:

  • A bereavement

  • A stay in hospital

  • Computer failure

  • Fire, flood or theft

Need help with your taxes? Visit TaxAid.