new tax year
Thousands of taxpayers filed their tax return on 6 April 2025.
People who file their Self Assessment tax returns early and are owed a tax refund can receive
it sooner.
Customers can set up a budget payment plan at any time to make regular payments towards
their tax bill.
A record nearly 300,000 people have filed their tax return in the first week of the new tax year,
almost 10 months ahead of the deadline, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed.
Self Assessment customers can submit their tax return for the 2024 to 2025 tax year between 6 April
2025, the first day of the new tax year, and the deadline on 31 January 2026.
Thousands more people are choosing to file their tax returns during the first week of the new tax year
(6 to 12 April), with an extra 28,503 filing in 2025, compared to 270,916 people in 2020.
There were 57,815 early filers on the opening day, which was a Sunday, compared to 67,870 people
who filed on Saturday 6 April 2024. HMRC is encouraging people to file early so they know what tax
they owe sooner, plan for any payments in advance and can avoid the stress of leaving it until
January.
Jade Milbourne, 34, runs a dog grooming salon with her business partner. They offer high-quality
dog grooming and teeth cleaning services for dogs ranging from Chihuahuas to German Shepherds.
Jade has been running the business for 5 years and believes the way to stay on top of her tax return
each year is to stay organised.
Jade said:
“Filing early means that I have plenty of time to pay my tax bill. I set aside money from my wage
each month and pay it as soon as I can, but also have the flexibility and time to save up more
money, if needed.
“I always find the more organised you are throughout the year, the less stressful it is to complete my
tax return.”
For the attention of News Desks No. of pages: 03
Date: 7 May 2025 Ref: NATXX/25
Anyone who thinks they may need to complete a tax return for the 2024 to 2025 tax year can use the
checker tool on GOV.UK to find out. New entrants to Self Assessment must register to receive their
Unique Taxpayer Reference.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said:
“Filing your Self Assessment early means you can spend more time growing your business and
doing the things you love, rather than worrying about your tax return.
“You too can join the thousands of customers who have already done their tax return for the 2024 to
2025 tax year by searching ‘Self Assessment’ on GOV.UK and get started today.”
Filing early will help with financial budgeting and spread the cost of the tax bill over the year.
Customers can set up a budget payment plan to make either weekly or monthly direct debit
payments towards their Self Assessment tax bill.
In cases where tax has been overpaid, refunds can be claimed as soon as the return has been
processed. Customers 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 has updated guidance on filing tax returns early and help around paying tax bills on GOV.UK.
People may need to complete a tax return for the 2024 to 2025 tax year and pay any tax owed if
they:
are newly self-employed with a total income over £1,000
are self-employed and earn below £1,000 and wish to have Class 2 National Insurance
contributions treated as paid have received any untaxed income over £2,500
are renting out one or more properties
claim Child Benefit and they or their partner have an income above £60,000
are a partner in a business partnership
have taxable income earned from savings and investments more than the £10,000 have
dividend income of more than £10,000
have Capital Gains Tax to pay on assets that were sold for a profit above the Capital
Gains threshold
A full list of who needs to complete a tax return is available on GOV.UK.
Criminals use emails, phone calls and texts to try to steal information and money from taxpayers.
Before sharing their personal or financial details, people should search ‘HMRC phishing and scams’
on GOV.UK to check the sender or caller is genuine.
Customers should never share their HMRC sign-in details. Someone could use them to steal from
them or claim benefits or a refund in their name.
Case Study
‘Being organised helps takes the stress out of completing a tax return’
Jade Milbourne, 34, runs a dog grooming salon with her business partner. They offer high-quality
dog grooming and teeth cleaning services for our four-legged friends. Jade has been running the
business for 5 years and believes the way to stay on top of her tax return each year is to stay
organised.
Jade recalls feeling intimidated the first time she completed her Self Assessment tax return because
she wanted to make sure it was correct. But experience and familiarity with the system means she
now finds it stress-free and straight-forward to complete – as long as she leaves time to pay her tax
bill.
Jade says:
“I like to complete my tax return early, usually after our business books have been submitted by our
accountant and I have the dividend confirmation statement. I stay organised by keeping digital
records of my payslips and any other information I might need to include in my tax return.
“Filing early means that I have plenty of time to pay my tax bill. I set aside money from my wage
each month and pay it as soon as I can, but also have the flexibility and time to save up more
money, if needed.”
Jade’s advice for any business owners who are new to Self Assessment is to stay organised and
keep on top of your records. She deals with invoices or paperwork as soon as possible and keeps
digital records of everything.
“I always find the more organised you are throughout the year, the less stressful it is to complete my
tax return.”
A video of Jade speaking about Self Assessment is available on YouTube.
Notes
- Visit GOV.UK to find out more about Self Assessment and how to file a tax return.
- Breakdown of filing data:
Date 24-25 SA
returns
23-24 SA
returns
6 April 57,815* 67,870*
7 April 64,505 36,432*
8 April 49,162 50,428
9 April 41,617 43,736
10 April 36,373 36,678
11 April 30,529 32,092
12 April 19,418* 28,014
Total 299,419 295,250
*weekend days
- Sole traders and landlords with a qualifying income over £50,000 will be required to use
Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax from 6 April 2026. This marks a significant change
and individuals with qualifying income will need to keep digital records, use MTD-compatible
software and submit quarterly summaries of their income and expenses to HMRC. These
digital requirements will help businesses save time through more efficient record-keeping,
reduce errors in tax calculations, and provide a clearer picture of their tax obligations
throughout the year. HMRC is urging eligible customers to sign up to a testing programme on
GOV.UK and start preparing now. Agents can also register their clients via GOV.UK. - Pensioners are required to pay Income Tax on any taxable income, including their pension
income, above their Personal Allowance threshold. There are different ways to pay any tax
owed, depending on the individual’s circumstances, including: if they already complete a Self Assessment tax return, they will need to report and pay via
this route
if they have a PAYE tax code, HMRC will automatically collect any tax through their tax
code
Alternatively, if a pensioner does not already pay tax via Self Assessment or PAYE, HMRC
will send them a Simple Assessment summary. The Simple Assessment will tell them how
much Income Tax they need to pay and the deadline – usually by 31 January following the
end of the tax year. HMRC produces the Simple Assessment from the information it holds
along with information it receives from third parties such as bank and building societies.
People do not need to do anything – there is no form to complete. More information about
Simple Assessment is available on GOV.UK. - It is important that customers let HMRC know if there are any changes in details or
circumstances such as a new address or name, or if they are no longer self-employed or their
business has closed. They should not assume someone else will update HMRC on their
behalf. - If customers no longer need to do Self Assessment, they will need to tell HMRC.
Related Posts
A record 11.5 million tax returns filed by the deadline
Almost 300,000 Self Assessment customers filed their tax return in the first week of the new tax year
Lucky Lee Returns To Launch Lifesaving Scheme