Pay your Self Assessment tax bill

1. Overview

The deadlines for paying your tax bill are:

• 31 January - for any tax you owe for the previous tax year (known as a balancing payment) and your first payment on account
• 31 July for your second payment on account

If you prefer to pay regularly throughout the year, you can use a budget payment plan.

You can get help if you can’t pay your tax bill on time.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Ways to pay

Make sure you pay HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) by the deadline. You’ll be charged interest and may have to pay a penalty if your payment is late.

The time you need to allow depends on how you pay.

Same or next day

• online or telephone banking (Faster Payments)
• CHAPS
• by debit or credit card online
• at your bank or building society
• at the Post Office

You need a paying-in slip from HMRC to pay at a bank, building society or Post Office.

3 working days

• Bacs
• Direct Debit (if you’ve set one up with HMRC before)
• by cheque through the post

5 working days

• Direct Debit (if you haven’t set one up with HMRC before)

If the deadline falls on a weekend or bank holiday, make sure your payment reaches HMRC on the last working day before (unless you’re paying by Faster Payments or by debit or credit card).

Problems with payment services

Online payment services may be slow during busy times. Check if there are any current problems or times they aren’t available.

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