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Five million taxpayers leave Self Assessment until January as HMRC urges earlier filing
HM Revenue and Customs is urging Self Assessment customers to begin their 2025 to 2026 tax returns now, ahead of the 31 January 2027 filing and payment deadline.
Starting early gives customers more time to gather information, check their returns and seek help if needed. Those who file now do not have to pay immediately, giving them time to plan for any tax due before the deadline.
Around 12 million people are expected to file a Self Assessment return each year. HMRC said about five million often leave the task until January.
The HMRC-commissioned survey of more than 5,200 people found that 35% felt confident about staying on top of their financial admin. More than 18% said they put it off before a deadline because they lacked confidence, while nearly a quarter said it felt overwhelming.
More than half of respondents said GOV.UK was their main source of help with tax matters. HMRC said customers can find online guidance, webinars and YouTube videos to help them prepare and submit a return.
Self Assessment guidance pages received more than 34.2 million visits between 1 October 2025 and 31 January 2026. The most visited was the Personal Tax Account login page, with 4.3 million visits.
“There is still plenty of time to submit a Self Assessment tax return,” said Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s chief customer officer. “By starting early, you have time to check your tax return thoroughly and spot any potential mistakes.”
The HMRC app lets customers find their Unique Taxpayer Reference, view previous tax summaries and payment history, set payment reminders and access information about the tax return process. HMRC said it is the quickest and easiest way to pay, with other payment options listed on GOV.UK.
People unsure whether they need to file for the 2025 to 2026 tax year can use HMRC’s Self Assessment checker. Customers can also register online if they need to file, or notify HMRC if they no longer need to submit a return.
Customers registered for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax must still submit a Self Assessment return for 2025 to 2026 in the usual way and pay any tax owed by 31 January 2027.
