Paper filing date approaching fast
The standard filing date for a personal tax return is 31 January. However, if you submit paper returns you need to do it earlier. What is the paper filing date, and how can HMRC’s new videos help if you need to remove yourself from self-assessment?
Currently, the self-assessment system is mainly processed in arrears, i.e. returns and payments are due after the end of the tax year. Most taxpayers have a filing deadline of 31 January after the end of the relevant tax year, so have almost ten months to gather and report their information. However, if you complete a paper return you only get until 31 October. You therefore have less than two weeks to get the return to HMRC.
Before you do, you may want to review your circumstances to see if you still need to be in self-assessment at all. For example, if you have ceased a claim to child benefit due to the high income child benefit charge, or were self-employed but have ceased trading. HMRC has published two videos explaining how to withdraw online, one for self-employed and one for others.
Related Topics
-
ATED filing deadline approaching for 2026/27
Companies holding high-value UK residential property need to ensure their annual tax on enveloped dwellings (ATED) returns are filed by the end of April. With the deadline approaching, what do you need to do?
-
HMRC to contact representatives over NI refunds for deceased taxpayers
HMRC has updated its guidance to confirm that it will write to representatives of deceased individuals where it believes too much NI has been paid. What should you expect if you receive such a letter?
-
Free childcare for company owners?
You’re an owner manager and your daughter is due to start nursery. You understand that working parents can get free childcare but a friend said this isn’t available if you only pay yourself dividends. Is this true and what can you do to qualify?

This website uses both its own and third-party cookies to analyze our services and navigation on our website in order to improve its contents (analytical purposes: measure visits and sources of web traffic). The legal basis is the consent of the user, except in the case of basic cookies, which are essential to navigate this website.