When does the tax year start and end? UK dates for 2026/27
You are filling in a form, starting a new job or trying to use an allowance before it runs out, and you need to know which tax year you are in. The UK tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April. The current one, 2026/27, started on Monday 6 April 2026 and ends on Monday 5 April 2027.
Tax year dates
| Tax year | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | Sunday 6 April 2025 | Sunday 5 April 2026 |
| 2026/27 (current) | Monday 6 April 2026 | Monday 5 April 2027 |
| 2027/28 | Tuesday 6 April 2027 | Wednesday 5 April 2028 |
The dates are the same every year and in every part of the UK. Anything you earn on 5 April counts in the old tax year; anything paid on 6 April counts in the new one. That matters most for bonuses, pay rises backdated to April, and when you sell shares.
Why it starts on 6 April
Until 1752 the English year began on Lady Day, 25 March, and so did the tax year. That year Britain switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar and dropped 11 days. So that nobody paid a full year’s tax for a short year, the tax year was extended to end on 4 April. In 1800 the Julian calendar would have had a leap day that the Gregorian one did not, so the Treasury moved the start one more day, to 6 April, where it has stayed.
Tax months and weeks on your payslip
Payroll counts from the start of the tax year. Tax month 1 runs from 6 April to 5 May, month 2 from 6 May to 5 June, and so on, with month 12 ending on 5 April. Week 1 is 6 to 12 April. Your payslip uses these to work out your tax-free allowance to date, which is why a job you start in October gets six months of allowance at once. See how to read your payslip and tax codes explained.
What resets on 6 April
- Your tax-free allowance and tax bands. Each year starts fresh at £12,570, though the amounts themselves are frozen until April 2031.
- ISA allowance. The £20,000 limit is per tax year and does not carry over.
- Capital Gains Tax exemption of £3,000 and the £500 dividend allowance. Unused amounts are lost.
- Pension annual allowance. Usually £60,000, but unused allowance from the last three tax years can be carried forward.
- Gift allowance for Inheritance Tax: £3,000 a year, and the previous year’s can be used once if it was not.
- Rates and thresholds. Changes announced in a Budget, such as new National Insurance or student loan thresholds, normally start on 6 April. The minimum wage changes on 1 April.
Key dates in the 2026/27 tax year
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 31 May 2026 | Employers must give you your P60 for 2025/26 |
| 6 July 2026 | P11D forms for benefits in kind due to employees and HMRC |
| 31 July 2026 | Second payment on account for 2025/26 Self Assessment |
| 5 October 2026 | Register for Self Assessment if you have new untaxed income from 2025/26 |
| 31 October 2026 | Paper Self Assessment return for 2025/26 |
| 31 January 2027 | Online return for 2025/26, the balance of tax owed and the first payment on account for 2026/27 |
| 5 April 2027 | Last day to use this year’s ISA, CGT and dividend allowances and pension tax relief |
For how payments on account work, see payments on account explained.
Before 5 April: what to check
If you are close to a threshold, a pension contribution made before 5 April counts for this tax year and can bring your income back under £50,270, £60,000 for Child Benefit, or £100,000 for the personal allowance. Use any ISA allowance you can afford, and if you sold shares, think about whether to sell the rest before or after 6 April. The income tax calculator shows where your income sits in the bands this year.
Common questions
When does the 2026/27 tax year start and end?
It started on Monday 6 April 2026 and ends on Monday 5 April 2027. The 2027/28 tax year starts on Tuesday 6 April 2027.
Why does the UK tax year start on 6 April?
It goes back to the old calendar. The year used to start on 25 March. When Britain moved to the Gregorian calendar in 1752 it lost 11 days, so the end of the tax year was moved to 4 April to keep a full year. One more day was added in 1800, so the year now ends on 5 April and starts on 6 April.
Is the tax year the same in Scotland?
Yes. The tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April across the whole UK, even though Scotland sets its own Income Tax rates and bands.
When is the Self Assessment deadline for 2025/26?
For the tax year that ended on 5 April 2026, the online return and any tax owed are due by 31 January 2027. A paper return was due by 31 October 2026.
Is the company tax year the same as the personal tax year?
No. Limited companies pay Corporation Tax on their own accounting period, which can end on any date. The financial year for Corporation Tax rates runs from 1 April to 31 March.