TL;DR - HMRC July 2026 Self Assessment Deadline
- The second Self Assessment payment on account for the 2025-26 tax year is due by 31 July 2026 - missing this deadline triggers interest charges from HMRC
- Payments can be made via the HMRC app, GOV.UK online banking, or by setting up a weekly or monthly payment plan in advance
- If your income has fallen since your last tax return, you can apply to reduce your payment on account before paying - reducing an estimate that turns out to be too low results in interest on the shortfall
- Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax: sole traders and landlords with turnover above £50,000 must file their first quarterly update by 7 August 2026
- From mid-July 2026, around 300,000 Self Assessment customers will have Child Benefit data pre-populated on their return automatically
- The final deadline for 2025-26 Self Assessment returns and balancing payments is 31 January 2027
Published: 29 June 2026 - Source: HMRC, GOV.UK
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HMRC has issued a reminder to millions of Self Assessment taxpayers that the second payment on account for the 2025-26 tax year is due by 31 July 2026. With one month to go, HMRC is urging taxpayers to pay now or set up a payment plan to avoid interest charges.
What Is a Payment on Account?
Payments on account are advance payments towards your Self Assessment tax bill. HMRC requires two payments per year from taxpayers whose last tax bill exceeded £1,000, or who paid less than 80% of their tax through PAYE or other deducted-at-source arrangements.
Each payment on account is half of the previous year's total tax bill. The first payment was due on 31 January 2026. The second payment is due on 31 July 2026. If the actual tax owed for 2025-26 turns out to be higher than the two payments on account, a balancing payment is due on 31 January 2027.
Who Needs to Pay by 31 July 2026?
You must make a second payment on account if both of the following applied to your 2024-25 Self Assessment return: your total tax bill was £1,000 or more, and you paid less than 80% of your tax outside Self Assessment. If your last tax bill was below £1,000, or you are a first-time Self Assessment filer, you are not required to make payments on account.
How to Pay
HMRC offers several payment methods for Self Assessment bills:
- HMRC app - pay directly with bank details or set up a payment reminder
- GOV.UK online via bank transfer, debit card, or corporate credit card
- Bank transfer using your 10-digit Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) as the payment reference followed by the letter K
- Direct Debit via the HMRC online account
- Weekly or monthly payment plan - available via GOV.UK if you cannot pay in full
Do not pay by personal credit card - HMRC stopped accepting personal credit card payments for Self Assessment in January 2018.
How to Reduce Your Payment on Account
If your income in 2025-26 was lower than in 2024-25 - for example, due to reduced self-employment income, lower rental income, or a change in circumstances - you can apply to reduce your payment on account before paying. This is done via your HMRC online account.
If you reduce your payment on account and the actual tax owed turns out to be higher than the reduced amount, HMRC will charge interest on the shortfall from the original due date. Reduce only if you have good evidence your income has genuinely fallen.
Making Tax Digital: 7 August 2026 Quarterly Deadline
From April 2026, sole traders and landlords with annual business or property income above £50,000 are required to use Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax. Under MTD, quarterly updates of income and expenses must be submitted to HMRC via compatible software instead of a single annual return.
The first quarterly submission deadline for the 2026-27 tax year is 7 August 2026. HMRC has confirmed that taxpayers in scope who have not yet signed up for MTD should do so immediately via GOV.UK and ensure they are using compatible accounting software.
What Happens If You Miss the 31 July Deadline?
Missing the 31 July payment on account deadline does not trigger a fixed penalty in the same way as missing the January filing deadline. However, HMRC charges interest on late payments from the due date. The current HMRC late payment interest rate is the Bank of England base rate plus 2.5 percentage points.
If you cannot pay in full, contact HMRC to set up a Time to Pay arrangement before the deadline - not after. Time to Pay allows you to spread the payment over an agreed period, and interest continues to accrue on the outstanding balance.
Related Guides
Disclaimer: Kaeltripton.com is an independent editorial publisher. This article is based on HMRC's press release published 29 June 2026. It is factual information only and does not constitute tax advice. For advice on your specific Self Assessment position, consult an HMRC-registered tax adviser.
When is the July 2026 Self Assessment deadline?
The second payment on account for the 2025-26 tax year is due by 31 July 2026. Missing this deadline results in interest charges from HMRC from the due date.
How do I pay my Self Assessment July payment?
Via the HMRC app, GOV.UK online banking, direct debit, or bank transfer using your UTR followed by K as the payment reference. You can also set up a weekly or monthly payment plan via your HMRC online account if you cannot pay in full.
Can I reduce my payment on account?
Yes - if your income in 2025-26 was lower than 2024-25, you can apply to reduce your payment on account via your HMRC online account. If you reduce it and your actual tax owed is higher, HMRC charges interest on the shortfall from 31 July 2026.
What is the MTD deadline in August 2026?
The first Making Tax Digital quarterly update for 2026-27 is due by 7 August 2026 for sole traders and landlords with annual income above £50,000. Submit via compatible MTD software through your HMRC online account.
Sources: HMRC press release, 29 June 2026: "Taxpayers urged to get ahead of July Self Assessment payment deadline" (gov.uk); GOV.UK Self Assessment deadlines (gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns/deadlines); Making Tax Digital for Income Tax guidance (gov.uk/guidance/use-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax).
