With less than a month to the deadline, 5.65 million people still need to file their Self Assessment tax return. HMRC says the easiest way to pay is through the HMRC app. HOWEVER, if you don’t want to manage your tax affairs online, or don’t feel confident doing so, you can also contact HMRC:
- by phone on 0300 200 3310 (or +44 161 931 9070 from outside the UK), Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm,
- OR write to: Self Assessment, HM Revenue and Customs, BX9 1AS, United Kingdom.
For those of us who do feel confident online, but need an extra bit of support, these two links could get you started:
- Get help from HMRC if you need extra support: Help you can get – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Self Assessment: general enquiries – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
HMRC is urging taxpayers to file their 2024 to 2025 tax return today and not wait until the last minute, risking a penalty if the deadline is missed.
The deadline to file and pay Self Assessment tax is 31 January 2026. There is a £100 penalty if this is missed, rising to £900 if it is not paid after three months.
Thousands of people celebrated the New Year by filing their Self Assessment tax return and 6.36 million people head into 2026 with their tax affairs in order.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Chief Customer Officer, said: “New Year is a great time to start afresh. What better way than to ensure your tax affairs are in order for another year than completing your tax return. If you have yet to start, the clock is ticking, go to GOV.UK and start today.” Anyone who is yet to file their tax return can do so online, searching ‘Self Assessment’ on GOV.UK. The quickest and easiest way to pay any tax due is via the free and secure HMRC app, which takes less than a minute with immediate confirmation of payment. There is information available about different ways to pay. There is help and support on completing a tax return on GOV.UK, including resources online such as video tutorials on YouTube, support and guidance and information for those earning income online. Filing the tax return and paying on time plays an important role in supporting public services.
People who are unable to pay in full by 31 January 2026, can avoid late payment penalties by setting up a Time to Pay arrangement online and spreading the cost over monthly instalments – without needing to contact HMRC directly for bills up to £30,000. To use Time to Pay, a Self Assessment tax return must first be filed. If more than £30,000 is owed or a longer repayment period needed, contact HMRC. More information about Self Assessment.
