Complete guide to the UK tax calendar.
Planning ahead and understanding the tax calendar allows you to take the stress out of admin tasks. Knowing the key dates helps you to meet tax deadlines and plan your financial budget. If you aren’t ahead of the game, penalties may be issued, leaving you in financial trouble.
But what are the key tax dates for 2021/22? Why is the UK tax year end important? Which dates are Important if you are self-employed? Let’s take a look and get you started.
What Are The UK Tax Year Dates?
Different to the normal calendar year, the UK tax year is sometimes known as the financial year. It lasts for 12 months and is used for managing tax affairs for income taxpayers that are both employed and self-employed.
In the UK, the tax year begins on the 6th of April, ending on the 5th of April the following year.
Why is The UK Tax Year Important?
The UK tax year dates are important to help plan financial budgets and to ensure you meet the deadlines. Without the knowledge of the tax year-end dates, you would be issued fines by HMRC.
These dates are also important for various tasks such as determining national insurance and tax thresholds to calculate employees’ pay.
Tax Year Dates For Employed Staff In The UK
It is extremely important to make a claim before the end of the UK tax year for those entitled to a PAYE tax rebate. If you are owed a tax rebate, if the claim isn’t made within four years you will likely miss out and lose your claim.
What Are The Dates For Self Assessment Filing In The UK?
To submit a tax return under Self Assessment, the deadlines are different to the end of the tax year. Tax returns must be completed by the 31st of January if it is submitted online, or if you choose to file them using a paper tax return, the deadline is the 31st of October.
Below is a table highlighting the key dates for Self Assessment tax returns.
| Self Assessment | Deadline |
| Register for Self Assessment if you’re self-employed or a sole trader, not self-employed, or registering a partner or partnership | 5 October 2021 |
| Paper tax returns | Midnight 31 October 2021 |
| Online tax returns | Midnight 31 January 2022 |
| Pay the tax you owe | Midnight 31 January 2022 |
What Are The Tax Calendar Dates In The UK?
As mentioned earlier, the dates for tax are important. When it comes to your pay date, it is helpful to know what month it belongs in. Below, we have given you a calendar where you can view the tax period your pay date falls into.
| Date from | Date to | Tax month |
| 6 April | 5 May | 1 |
| 6 May | 5 June | 2 |
| 6 June | 5 July | 3 |
| 6 July | 5 August | 4 |
| 6 August | 5 September | 5 |
| 6 September | 5 October | 6 |
| 6 October | 5 November | 7 |
| 6 November | 5 December | 8 |
| 6 December | 5 January | 9 |
| 6 January | 5 February | 10 |
| 6 February | 5 March | 11 |
| 6 March | 5 April | 12 |
Here is a four-weekly chart to follow too.
| Date from | Date to | Tax weeks |
| 6 April | 3 May | 1-4 |
| 4 May | 31 May | 5-8 |
| 1 June | 28 June | 9-12 |
| 29 June | 26 July | 13-16 |
| 27 July | 23 August | 17-20 |
| 24 August | 20 September | 21-24 |
| 21 September | 18 October | 25-28 |
| 19 October | 15 November | 29-32 |
| 16 November | 13 December | 33-36 |
| 14 December | 10 January | 37-40 |
| 11 January | 7 February | 41-44 |
| 8 February | 7 March | 45-48 |
| 8 March | 4 April | 49-52 |
| 5 April | 5 April | 53 |
Finally, here is a fortnightly chart.
| Date from | Date to | Tax weeks |
| 6 April | 19 April | 1-2 |
| 20 April | 3 May | 3-4 |
| 4 May | 17 May | 5-6 |
| 18 May | 31 May | 7-8 |
| 1 June | 14 June | 9-10 |
| 15 June | 28 June | 11-12 |
| 29 June | 12 July | 13-14 |
| 13 July | 26 July | 15-16 |
| 27 July | 9 August | 17-18 |
| 10 August | 23 August | 19-20 |
| 24 August | 6 September | 21-22 |
| 7 September | 20 September | 23-24 |
| 21 September | 4 October | 25-26 |
| 5 October | 18 October | 27-28 |
| 19 October | 1 November | 29-30 |
| 2 November | 15 November | 31-32 |
| 16 November | 29 November | 33-34 |
| 30 November | 13 December | 35-36 |
| 14 December | 27 December | 37-38 |
| 28 December | 10 January | 39-40 |
| 11 January | 24 January | 41-42 |
| 25 January | 7 February | 43-44 |
| 8 February | 21 February | 45-46 |
| 22 February | 7 March | 47-48 |
| 8 March | 21 March | 49-50 |
| 22 March | 4 April | 51-52 |
| 5 April | 5 April | 53 |
What Are Important Tax Dates For Self-Employed In The UK?
The tax year runs from the 6th of April to the following 5th of April in the UK. However, in between those dates, there are some important events to note. The table below shows important tax dates for those who are both employed and self-employed.
| 31 January (during the tax year) | This is the due date for the first payment on your account for the tax year ending the following 5 April |
| April (following the end of the tax year) | On April 5th, the tax year ends. Anyone who needs to file a tax return will receive a notice that advises them the tax return must be filed for the tax year just ended. |
| 31 July (following the end of the tax year) | For the tax year ending the previous 5 April, the second payment on your account is due. |
| 5 October (following the end of the tax year) | HMRC must be noticed by the 5th October that your income has not been taxed before you received it or capital gains in excess of £12,300 (2021/22). This is to ensure that HMRC are able to sent out a notice to you regarding the filing of a tax return. By this date, for tax reasons, you will also need to register with HMRC if you are self-employed. |
| 31 October (following the end of the tax year) | For anyone filing a paper tax return, this is the date you will need to have submitted your tax return by. If you decide to send the form after this date, there will be penalties issues, even when there is no tax to pay. |
| 30 December (following the end of the tax year) | For anyone filing an online tax return, this is the date you will need to have submitted your tax return by. Also, for those who are receiving a pension income, or employed, this is the date for those wanting HMRC to collect the self-employed tax through your PAYE tax code. |
| 31 January (following the end of the tax year) | By 31st January, all tax returns filed online are required to be submitted. If the deadline for submission is missed, then there will be a penalty charged to your account. Even if you have no tax to pay or if you have already paid all of the tax you owe, you will still be issued a penalty. |
| 31 January (following the end of the tax year) + 1 year | Any incorrect information on your online or paper tax return can be amended up to 12 months after 31 January following the end of the tax year. |
When Is The Deadline Different For Tax Returns In The UK?
If you want HMRC to automatically collect owed tax from your wages and pension, you must submit your online return by 30th December.
If you’re a non-resident company or a trustee of a registered pension scheme, your paper tax returns must be submitted by 31st January. In addition, it is important to note that these returns cannot be sent online.
If there are any changes to the deadline dates, HMRC will contact you via email or in writing.
How Far Back Can I Claim A Tax Rebate In The UK?
If you are currently employed and are making a tax rebate claim through PAYE, then for the last four years, you can make a claim for overpaid tax. The rule used to be six tax years, however, HMRC changed this to four years.
To make are you don’t miss out on any money that is owed to you, you should be aware of the preceding years you can include on your claim. Also, your entire claim will be denied if you make a claim that is outside the limit, forfeiting the tax rebate you are due.
What Are The Recent Changes To The UK Personal Allowance?
In the UK, there is a certain amount that can be earned before having to pay tax. The name for this is the tax-free Personal Allowance. Each annual budget by the UK government has led to a trend of increases every tax year.
Starting on the 6th April 2021, for the 2021-2022 tax year, the Personal Allowance number is £12,570. This means that before being taxed by HMRC, UK citizens can earn £12,570.
So, you need to know when you need to have your tax sorted by, as well as exactly what needs filing. This sounds easy, however, with different deadlines for different races, it can be exhausting. Let alone all the fines and penalties to consider too.
It is never completely straightforward, that is why preparing beforehand can set you up for success. We recommend noting down what deadlines apply to you, setting a reminder in your calendar to ensure you meet them.
Of course, no one wants to be filing through paperwork for hours and hours, especially small business owners and those who are self-employed. You want to spend time doing the things that are important to you. To do this, collect everything you need constantly, giving you the confidence of accurate reporting.