"Summertime and the livin’ is easy." Well, if you’re lucky it is. If not exactly easy, then perhaps easier. Maybe it’s the warmer, dryer weather and the longer days that allow us to get more done.
Life can seem a lot more chilled and less stressful in the summer, making it a great time to get your self assessment tax return filled in and filed. You can do it as soon as the UK tax year ends on 5 April. So why do so many people leave it so late?
Self assessment filing facts
- More than 11.5 million UK taxpayers filed their self assessment tax returns before the midnight 31 January 2025 online-filing deadline.
- An estimated 1.1 million missed the deadline and were rewarded with a £100 penalty (source: HMRC). The longer you leave it after the deadline, the greater the penalties.
- 732,498 tax returns were filed on deadline day. Peak hour was 4pm-5pm, when 58,517 tax returns were filed online.
- Many left it until the very final hour, with 31,442 tax returns filed between 11pm and 11:59pm. Phew.
Leaving it late isn’t recommended. It makes life unnecessarily stressful. Many people complete their tax returns in December, but things can be hectic enough at that time of year. Besides, completing your tax return is hardly the best way to get in the Christmas mood. Many others put it off until January, but that’s hardly the greatest way to start a new year. The solution, of course, is to file your self assessment tax return much earlier. Why delay?
New tax year – new you
You can file your self-assessment from the 6th April. Know your tax owed and start the tax year in control.
For self-employed individuals, sole traders, or those with non-PAYE income, GoSimpleTax provides direct self-assessment filing with HMRC, offering helpful hints and savings tips throughout the process. Let GoSimpleTax handle all calculations.
Self assessment early birds
More taxpayers than ever are realising that they can make their lives much less stressful by filing their tax returns long before December or January.
- A record 299,419 2024/25 self assessment tax returns were filed in the first week of the new 2025/26 tax year – almost 10 months ahead of the deadline.
- Amazingly, 57,815 tax returns were filed on 6 April 2025 – which was a Sunday – with a further 64,505 tax returns filed on Monday 7 April 2025.
HMRC has long since encouraged sole traders, landlords and others to file their self assessment tax return early. It’s easy to understand the workflow benefits that would bring to HMRC. But how does filing early help sole traders, landlords and others?
Key benefits of summer filing
Besides making your December or January less stressful and getting the task off your plate, there are many other good reasons for filing your self assessment tax return early.
- Fewer mistakes: Because you’re not short on time and battling a tight deadline, you’re less likely to make basic mistakes. This is also the case if you use self assessment tax return-filing software.
- Clear picture of your tax position: Filing earlier means you’ll get your tax bill sooner, so you’ll know exactly how much tax you owe for the previous tax year. Filing early doesn't mean you’ll have to pay your tax bill any sooner, but it does allow you to plan ahead for when payment is due.
- Time to prepare: If you’re likely to struggle to pay your tax bill, filing early gives you more time to contact HMRC to arrange to pay in instalments.
- Time to amend: Filing early also gives you more time to correct any tax return errors that you later realise you’ve made. For example, you may realise that you haven’t claimed for all your allowable tax expenses.
- Easier to get help: Getting an answer to your self assessment queries can be much more challenging in January, when demand surges ahead of the online filing deadline.
- Information at your finger tips: Filing early can also provide proof of income, which is essential if you’re applying for a mortgage or loan, or need to claim state benefits.
Need to know!
Your tax bill payment deadlines are: 31 January for any tax you owe for the previous tax year (called a "balancing payment") and your first payment on account (an advance payment towards your next tax bill) and 31 July for your second payment on account.
Tax rebates for overpayment
If you are due a tax refund because you’ve paid too much tax, the earlier you file your self assessment tax return, the sooner you’ll get your tax refund (AKA tax rebate). Getting your tax rebate can take longer post January, when HMRC staff face a deluge of tax returns that need processing. The GOV.UK website has a tool that explains how to claim a tax refund.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax
From April 2026, many sole traders and landlords will need to comply with new Making Tax Digital (MTD) recording and tax reporting rules. It’s the biggest shake-up to the UK tax system in ages. It’s another good reason to file your self assessment tax return this summer. It will allow you to clear the decks and get you're ready for MTD, including getting the necessary MTD software.
Filing your self assessment early also brings another huge benefit. Once done, it means you can relax and spend more time doing the things you really enjoy, life in the great outdoors (British weather permitting, of course).
Copyright 2025. Written by Mike Parkes of GoSimpleTax - tax return software that can help you manage your self-assessment.