The tax authority said hundreds of thousands of people had already got on with it
Hundreds of thousands of taxpayers got ahead of the game by filing their Self Assessment return early last month, with 86,270 submitting on day one – as Easter Monday emerged as the most popular date. More than 298,900 people filed between April 6 and 12 – the first week of the tax year – according to HMRC figures published on Tuesday.
HMRC said April as a whole set a new record with almost 740,000 submitting their returns for the 2025 to 2026 tax year. Anyone unsure whether they need to complete a tax return can use the checker tool on GOV.UK to find out, it added. People new to Self Assessment must first register to receive their Unique Taxpayer Reference, which they will need when they complete and file their return.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s chief customer officer, said: “For thousands of people, filing early and staying on top of their finances has become the norm. It takes the pressure off in January and means they can spend their time focusing on their business and doing things they love. Make a start on your tax return today by searching ‘Self Assessment’ on GOV.UK.”
More than 12 million taxpayers are expected to submit a 2025 to 2026 tax return by January 31, 2027, HMRC said. However, people do not need to wait, as HMRC encourages millions to get started and file early. It said this meant they know what tax they owed sooner, so they could plan for any payments in advance and avoid the stress of leaving it until January.
HMRC has updated guidance on filing tax returns early and help around paying tax bills on GOV.UK. Taxpayers can set up a budget payment plan to make either weekly or monthly direct debit payments towards their Self Assessment tax bill, spreading the cost of their tax bill across the year, instead of having to pay that bill all at once by the January 31 payment deadline.
In cases where tax has been overpaid, refunds can be claimed as soon as the return has been processed, HMRC said. People will be able to check if they are due a refund in the HMRC app. It also means people can take their time to complete their return, ensuring all the information submitted is accurate. This will result in fewer mistakes and potential penalties, HMRC said.
Also, from April 6, 2026, sole traders and landlords with a turnover above £50,000 are required to use Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax and submit quarterly summaries of their income and expenses to HMRC.
From April 2027, this will also apply to sole traders and landlords with a combined turnover of more than £30,000. Agents can also register their clients via GOV.UK.
Those within scope of MTD will continue to submit an annual Self Assessment tax return and HMRC said it was encouraging customers to get ahead and file their tax return for the 2025 to 2026 tax year now.
Criminals often impersonate HMRC to steal money or personal information in someone else’s name. It said people should always take time to stop and think if the request is genuine before sharing personal information, never click on links in unexpected messages or share their HMRC sign-in details.
Genuine HMRC contact details and advice on spotting scams can be found on GOV.UK by searching for ‘HMRC phishing and scams’.
A wide range of online help and support is available on GOV.UK to help people fill in and file their tax return.
