Ward Bosence

07/01/2026

HMRC offers time to help pay self assessment tax bills

HMRC is offering self assessment taxpayers a reminder that help is available to manage their tax bill.

The deadline to file and pay any tax owed is 31 January 2026, but people who are unable to pay in full by then may be able to set up a Time to Pay arrangement online and spread the cost over monthly instalments.

For those with bills of up to £30,000, such an arrangement can be set up without even needing to contact HMRC directly.

According to HMRC, since 6 April 2025 nearly 18,000 payment plans have been set up using the service, helping customers avoid late payment penalties by arranging regular payments that suit their own circumstances.

A Time to Pay arrangements cannot be set up until a self assessment return has been filed. If the tax owed is more than £30,000, or a longer repayment period is needed, people can still apply but will need to contact HMRC directly.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC's Chief Customer Officer, said:

'We're here to help customers get their tax right. If you are worried about paying your self assessment bill, assistance is available. Our online payment plans offer financial flexibility and can be tailored to individual circumstances. We want to support all our customers in meeting their tax obligations with confidence.'

22/09/2025

https://makingtaxdigital.campaign.gov.uk/?utm_source=Meta&utm_medium=Paid+Social&utm_campaign=MTD&utm_content=Pull_Static&dclid=CJ-jvP6z7Y8DFTtGHQkdtewP7Q&gad_source=7

Get ready for the new way to record and report income to HMRC for sole traders and landlords.

17/09/2025

Covid repayment window opens

A new voluntary repayment scheme gives individuals and businesses until December 2025 to return pandemic scheme money, no questions asked.

The use it or lose it opportunity comes ahead of tougher sanctions to follow for those who don’t come forward.

The move comes as the government continues to do everything in its power to recoup money lost to Covid fraud.

The voluntary scheme, launched 12 September, will provide Covid scheme recipients with a ‘no questions asked’ window to repay outstanding money they were not entitled to or did not need.

Individuals who don’t take this last chance to come forward and repay any outstanding money could face prosecution when the government receives additional investigatory powers next year.

For further information go to

Those who still owe Covid scheme money to the public purse have been given a time-limited opportunity to pay it back before tougher sanctions apply.