Self Assessment payment on account

Self Assessment payment on account: your 31 July deadline is approaching

If you make payments on account for Self Assessment, mark your calendar — your second payment for the 2025/26 tax year is due by 31 July 2026. Missing this deadline means HMRC starts charging interest straight away, so it's worth sorting out now rather than leaving it to the last minute.
Here's what you need to know.

What is a payment on account?

Payments on account are advance payments towards your next tax bill. If you're required to make them, they're usually split into two instalments:

• 31 January — during the tax year
• 31 July — after the tax year ends

Each payment is typically 50% of your previous year's tax bill (Capital Gains Tax and student loan repayments aren't included in this calculation).
Not everyone has to make payments on account. You may be exempt if your last Self Assessment bill was under £1,000, or if more than 80% of the tax you owed was already collected at source (for example, through PAYE).
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What you should do now

1. Check what's due and pay by 31 July
The simplest option is to pay online. Log in and settle your bill via HMRC's Self Assessment payment page.

2. Can't pay in full? Plan ahead
If you're not going to be able to pay the whole amount by the deadline, don't wait for HMRC to chase you. You may be able to spread the cost with a Time to Pay arrangement, which you can set up online. Getting this in place before the deadline is far better than dealing with it after interest has started accruing.

3. Income dropped this year? You might be able to reduce your payment

Payments on account are based on last year's tax bill — but if your income for 2025/26 is lower than the year before, you could end up overpaying. If that sounds like your situation, get in touch with us. We can help you review your figures and, where appropriate, apply to reduce your payments on account so you're not handing HMRC more than you need to.

Why acting now matters

A payment made even a day late starts attracting interest, and nobody wants an unnecessary bill on top of what they already owe. A little planning now — checking the amount, arranging payment, or flagging a change in income — is all it takes to avoid that.

If you're unsure what you owe, whether you're exempt, or whether you should apply to reduce your payments, get in touch with us  before 31 July. We're happy to help you get it right.

Further reading: Understand your Self Assessment tax bill and payments on account (GOV.UK)