Your Ultimate 2026 Key Dates Calendar: Never Miss a Deadline Again

Keeping track of key tax deadlines is essential for maintaining compliance and avoiding unnecessary penalties. To help you stay organised, we have compiled a comprehensive tax and key dates calendar for 2026. Use this guide to mark your calendar and ensure your financial year runs smoothly.

January

22 January: PAYE and NIC Payment Deadline (for payments covering December 2025 payroll. Make your PAYE payment to HMRC to avoid late payment interest.

31 January: Self-Assessment Tax Return Deadline

Submit your online tax return for the 2024/25 tax year. Pay any tax owed, including balancing payments and the first payment on account for 2025/26.

31 January: Filing of Accounts with Companies House (for companies with a 30 April accounting year-end). Late filing penalties apply.

February

1 February: Payment of Corporation Tax (for companies with a 30 April accounting year-end). Late payment penalties apply.

7 February: VAT Return Deadline (for businesses with a quarterly VAT period ending 31 December 2025).

22 February: PAYE and NIC Payment Deadline (for payments covering January 2026 payroll).

28 February: Filing of Accounts with Companies House (for companies with a 31 May accounting year-end). Late filing penalties apply.

March

1 March: Payment of Corporation Tax (for companies with a 31 May accounting year-end). Late payment penalties apply.

7 March: VAT Return Deadline (for businesses with a quarterly VAT period ending 31 January 2026).

22 March: PAYE and NIC Payment Deadline (for payments covering February 2026 payroll).

31 March: Filing of Accounts with Companies House (for companies with a 30 June accounting year-end). Late filing penalties apply.

April

1 April: Payment of Corporation Tax (for companies with a 30 June accounting year-end). Late payment penalties apply.

5 April: End of the 2025/26 Tax Year

Ensure all allowances and reliefs are utilised before the tax year closes.

6 April: Start of the 2026/27 Tax Year

New tax rates and thresholds come into effect.

7 April: VAT Return Deadline (for businesses with a quarterly VAT period ending 28 February 2026).

22 April: PAYE and NIC Payment Deadline (for payments covering March 2026 payroll).

30 April: Filing of Accounts with Companies House (for companies with a 31 July accounting year-end). Late filing penalties apply.

May

1 May: Payment of Corporation Tax (for companies with a 31 July accounting year-end). Late payment penalties apply.

7 May: VAT Return Deadline (for businesses with a standard quarterly VAT period ending 31 March 2026).

22 May: PAYE and NIC Payment Deadline (for payments covering April 2026 payroll).

31 May: Payroll – Distribute P60s to Employees. Ensure all employees receive their P60 forms detailing their annual earnings and tax deductions.

31 May: Filing of Accounts with Companies House (for companies with a 31 August accounting year-end). Late filing penalties apply.

June

1 June: Payment of Corporation Tax (for companies with a 31 August accounting year-end). Late payment penalties apply.

7 June: VAT Return Deadline (for businesses with a standard quarterly VAT period ending 30 April 2026).

22 June: PAYE and NIC Payment Deadline (for payments covering May 2026 payroll).

30 June: Filing of Accounts with Companies House (for companies with a 30 September accounting year-end). Late filing penalties apply.

July

1 July: Payment of Corporation Tax (for companies with a 30 September accounting year-end). Late payment penalties apply.

6 July: Payroll – Submit P11D and P11D(b) Forms. Report benefits and expenses provided to employees during the tax year.

7 July: VAT Return Deadline (for businesses with a standard quarterly VAT period ending 31 May 2026).

22 July: PAYE and NIC Payment Deadline (for payments covering June 2026 payroll).

31 July: Self-Assessment – Second Payment on Account Due (for the 2025/26 tax year).

31 July: Filing of Accounts with Companies House (for companies with a 31 October accounting year-end). Late filing penalties apply.

August

1 August: Payment of Corporation Tax (for companies with a 31 October accounting year-end). Late payment penalties apply.

7 August: VAT Return Deadline (for businesses with a standard quarterly VAT period ending 30 June 2026).

22 August: PAYE and NIC Payment Deadline (for payments covering July 2026 payroll).

31 August: Filing of Accounts with Companies House (for companies with a 30 November accounting year-end). Late filing penalties apply.

September

1 September: Payment of Corporation Tax (for companies with a 30 November accounting year-end). Late payment penalties apply.

7 September: VAT Return Deadline (for businesses with a standard quarterly VAT period ending 31 July 2026).

22 September: PAYE and NIC Payment Deadline (for payments covering August 2026 payroll).

30 September: Filing of Accounts with Companies House (for companies with a 31 December accounting year-end). Late filing penalties apply.

October

1 October: Payment of Corporation Tax (for companies with a 31 December accounting year-end). Late payment penalties apply.

5 October: Register for Self-Assessment (if required for the 2025/26 tax year). Notify HMRC if you need to file a tax return for the first time.

7 October: VAT Return Deadline (for businesses with a standard quarterly VAT period ending 31 August 2026).

22 October: PAYE and NIC Payment Deadline (for payments covering September 2026 payroll).

31 October: Self-Assessment – Deadline for Paper Returns. Submit your paper return for the 2025/26 tax year if filing manually.

31 October: Filing of Accounts with Companies House (for companies with a 31 January accounting year-end). Late filing penalties apply.

November

1 November: Payment of Corporation Tax (for companies with a 31 January accounting year-end). Late payment penalties apply.

7 November: VAT Return Deadline (for businesses with a standard quarterly VAT period ending 30 September 2026).

22 November: PAYE and NIC Payment Deadline (for payments covering October 2026 payroll).

30 November: Filing of Accounts with Companies House (for companies with a 28 February accounting year-end). Late filing penalties apply.

December

1 December: Payment of Corporation Tax (for companies with a 28 February accounting year-end). Late payment penalties apply.

7 December: VAT Return Deadline (for businesses with a standard quarterly VAT period ending 31 October 2026).

30 December: Online Self-Assessment Submission Deadline. Submit your return in time to have tax of under £3,000 collected via PAYE.

31 December: Filing of Accounts with Companies House (for companies with a 31 March accounting year-end). Late filing penalties apply.

Tips for Staying on Top of Deadlines

1.       Set reminders: Use all the technology available to you, like digital calendars or accounting software, to automate deadlines and set reminders.

2.       Work with professionals: An accountant can help you stay compliant and avoid penalties.

3.       Plan: Preparing documents early reduces stress and last-minute errors.

How Penn Accounts Can Help

At Penn Accounts, we understand that managing tax deadlines can be overwhelming.

Our expert team offers

• Planning and Filing: ensuring accurate submissions and maximising your savings.

• Deadline Management: Stay compliant with personalised reminders and support.

• Comprehensive Accounting Services: From VAT to payroll, we have got you covered.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation and let us help you stay ahead in 2026.

Irina Inayat 

Penn Accounts 

0207 183 6623 

The information provided in this article is not intended to constitute professional advice and you should take full and comprehensive legal, accountancy or financial advice as appropriate on your individual circumstances by a fully qualified Solicitor, Accountant or Financial Advisor/Mortgage Broker before you embark on any course of action.