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Top tips for filing your tax return

Updated 7 May 2025

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/file-your-self-assessment-tax-return-early/top-tips-for-filing-your-tax-return

1. Make sure you’re registered 

Use the online tool on GOV.UK to check if you need to complete a Self Assessment tax return.  

You may need to complete Self Assessment, even if you pay your taxes through PAYE, for example, if you:     

  • are self-employed and have earned more than £1,000 gross income. This includes if you received more than £1,000 gross income from any type of trading or providing services online   
  • are self-employed and earn below £1,000 and wish to pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions (NICs) voluntarily to protect your entitlement to state pension and certain benefits    
  • are a new partner in a business partnership    
  • have received any other taxable income over £2,500
  • have any gains or income that you received for cryptoassets   
  • are claiming Child Benefit and you or your partner had an income above £60,000 for the tax year 2024 to 2025
  • received interest from banks and building societies or investments (more than £2,500 profit or more than £10,000 gross)   
  • received income from property that you own and rent out
  • received dividends payments (more than £10,000)    
  • need to pay non-property related Capital Gains Tax  
  • claim tax relief for your job expenses if they are more than £2,500  
  • need to pay Capital Gains Tax on gains more than £6,000 (in 2023 to 2024)  

2. Get ready  

Gather all the information you need and make a start your tax return. You don’t have to complete it in one go. Set aside small chunks of your time until it’s done. 

If you know a particular month is going to be busy for your business, or you are planning to take time off then you can factor this in. 

You will need:  

  • National Insurance number  
  • details of untaxed income – for this you’ll need copies of bank statements, records of rental income, receipts, invoices and any other relevant information
  • details from employment income, where you were taxed at source by your employer. This includes your P60, P45 (if you changed jobs) or P11D (for benefits and expenses)
  • records of your self-employed expenses  
  • pension statements 
  • records of capital gains 
  • records on overseas income 
  • details of eligible tax reliefs such as charity contributions or pensions  

Some of the personal information you need to complete your tax return is available in your HMRC online account or in the HMRC app. 

Don’t forget you will need to keep records in case HMRC wants to check your tax return.

3.  Gather HMRC information 

Check that you have your:  

Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) which you’ll need to fill in your tax return. This allows HMRC to identify you. You can find this on previous tax returns and on any other Self Assessment documents you have received, such as statements or payment reminders.  

You can also find it on your HMRC online services account or the HMRC app.  

Read how to find your Unique Taxpayer Reference number. 

Access to HMRC online services.

You’ll need your user ID and password to access to your online account and tax return. If you’ve lost these details then you can get help signing into your account or you can find out how to set up an online account if you don’t already have one.

4. Complete your online tax return 

You’ll need to file your tax return by 31 January 2026, but it’s better to file early – find out why.

It’s easier than it looks, you don’t need to be an expert. Take it one step at a time, saving it as you go. Come back to it at any time to add information or correct any mistakes before submitting it.  

Check and submit your tax return 

Check your information before you submit your tax return, so you’re confident it’s correct.

Top tip: Make sure you press the submit button. 

You can quickly and easily change your online tax return after you’ve submitted it. If you change it because you made a mistake, then you may have to pay more tax or you may be able to claim a refund.

Don’t forget

Don’t forget that: 

  • crypto assets are taxable, so you need to make sure that your tax return includes any gains or income that you received for cryptoassets - our guidance explains how we tax people who use cryptoassets such as cryptocurrency or bitcoin
  • if you complete a Self Assessment return you should use this for reporting and paying any additional earnings, pension income, interest on your savings, dividend income and non-property related Capital Gains Tax
  • if you do not currently complete a Self Assessment return then you will need to register for Self Assessment for reporting any Capital Gains Tax (if you’re eligible you may be able to use the ‘real time’ Capital Gains Tax Service), dividend income over £10,000 and savings interest over £10,000
  • if you have dividend income up to £10,000 you’ll need to contact HMRC and, if you have a PAYE tax code, you can ask for your tax code to be changed
  • for other forms of taxable income, including state pension, if you have any tax to pay, HMRC will write to you with details of how we will collect the tax – if you have a PAYE tax code from a private pension or employment, HMRC will be able to deduct the tax due automatically, and if you do not have a PAYE tax code then HMRC will inform you of how much tax you have to pay and how to pay it (a process known as simple assessment)
  • if you are self-employed, to get NICs treated as paid you’ll need to register as self employed

The deadlines

The deadline to submit your completed 2024 to 2025 tax return online and pay any tax you owe is 31 January 2026.

Although customers do not have to pay any outstanding tax until 31 January 2026, those who are employed and paid through PAYE may be eligible to pay anything they owe through their PAYE tax code if they submit their tax return by 30 December

How and when to pay your bill

If you submit your tax return early you won’t need to pay your tax bill immediately but you will know how much you owe and can then choose a payment option that works for you.

Find out how to pay your Self Assessment tax bill.

You can now make Self Assessment payments quickly and securely through the HMRC app. You can also check if a repayment is due by checking your personal tax account.

Payments on account

If you make advance payments towards your tax bill through payments on account, you will probably have paid your first payment on account as it was due on 31 January 2025. Your second payment on account will be due by midnight on 31 July 2025. If you know that your tax bill will be lower for the 2024 to 2025 tax year than for the previous tax year, then you can make a claim to reduce your July 2025 payment on account online.

Understand your Self Assessment tax bill - payments on account.

It is important to remember that if you lower your payments on account by too much, you may be subject to interest charges on the difference. Any outstanding balance owing after you have paid your payments on account will be calculated once you have submitted your 2024 to 2025 tax return.

Budgeting to pay your tax bill

You can use a Budget Payment plan to make regular weekly or monthly payments towards your next tax bill. You must be up to date with your previous Self Assessment payments and you can decide how much to pay each week or month.

Set up your plan using your HMRC online account. Go to the Direct Debit section and choose the ‘set up a Budget Payment plan’ option when filling in the Direct Debit form. If the amount in your Budget Payment plan does not cover your next bill in full, you will need to pay the difference by the payment deadline. Find out more about paying weekly or monthly.

A Budget Payment plan is different from payments on account, which you normally make in January and July.

Find out more about budget payment plans.

If you have an outstanding amount after the payment due date, interest will accrue on that amount until it is paid in full, even if you are in a payment plan.

If you’ve paid too much tax

If you have overpaid tax during the 2024 to 2025 tax year (for example if you have already paid what tax you owed for the year through your payments on account), we will let you know how much you have overpaid when you submit your Self Assessment tax return, and you may due a refund.

What to do if your circumstances change

It’s important to let us know of any changes to your details or circumstances, such as:

  • your personal details have changed
  • you no longer need to complete a Self Assessment return
  • you think you now need to complete a Self Assessment return

If your details have changed

It’s important to let us know of any changes to your details or circumstances, such as:

  • a new address or name
  • if you’ve stopped being self employed
  • your business has closed down

Don’t assume someone else will update us – you can do this yourself on GOV.UK.

If you no longer need to complete a Self Assessment return

It’s important you tell us because if we don’t get your tax return by the 31 January deadline, you’ll receive a penalty.

Protect yourself against scams

Always be on your guard against tax scams. If someone contacts you saying they’re from HMRC, never let yourself be rushed, especially if they want you to urgently transfer money or give personal information.

HMRC will never ring up threatening arrest.

Tax scams come in many forms. Some offer a rebate while others threaten arrest for tax evasion.

Make sure to take your time and if you’re unsure, check HMRC scams advice on GOV.UK.

Support with tax scams

Send suspicious texts to 60599

Forward suspicious emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk

Report suspicious phone calls through GOV.UK

You can also call us directly, but only use the contact numbers on GOV.UK.

Protect your login details

Your HMRC account contains your personal information such as your bank account details. So don’t share your HMRC login with anyone, including your tax agent.

Help and support

HMRC wants to help you get your tax right. Lots of information and support is available which includes:

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