The deadline to submit your tax return depends on what sort of tax you need to report. As a business owner you might need to submit different types of tax returns across the year, all with their own deadlines and reporting requirements.

In this article we answer some of the most frequently asked questions about tax return due dates. If you’re our client, you can see upcoming deadlines and what to do next in Client Hub.

What type of tax return do I need to submit?

The type of tax return you must complete depends on what sort of income you need to report to HMRC. This is partly based on your business structure – a sole trader will normally need to file a Self Assessment tax return, whereas a limited company must prepare a Company Tax Return, for example.

There are other factors which influence the types of tax return you need to send too, such as whether or not you employ staff and need to report their wages through PAYE, or if you’re VAT registered. We go over different types of tax return in more detail in a separate article.

What is the tax return deadline for Self Assessment?

The latest date to submit your online Self Assessment tax return is:

• 31st October for paper-based tax returns
• 31st January if you submit your Self Assessment tax return online

You can submit your Self Assessment tax return well before the deadline, giving yourself more time to prepare. Submitting earlier doesn’t change the deadline for paying your tax bill on 31st January.

Some people need to submit Self Assessment returns even though they’re not self-employed, but this doesn’t affect the submission deadline.

When do I need to submit my Company Tax Return?

The deadline for filing your Company Tax Return is 12 months after the end of the accounting period that the return is for. The filing requirements for limited companies can be slightly more complicated than they are for other types of business because there’s a bit more to do:

• Submit annual accounts to Companies House 9 months after the end of the company’s financial year
• Pay the company’s bill for Corporation Tax 9 months and 1 day after the end of the accounting period

You might also need to submit a Self Assessment tax return to report your personal income from the company – for instance, if you’re a shareholder and you receive dividends.

What is the VAT reporting deadline?

If you’re registered for VAT then you’ll need to make regular VAT submissions to report the amount you pay, and that you collect on sales. The timing of these submissions depends on what type of VAT accounting scheme you use.

When is the PAYE reporting deadline?

If you’re an employer or pay a salary to company directors, you must register for PAYE and tell HMRC the details of any payments and tax deductions you make.

The reporting deadline is the 19th of each tax month if you run your payroll on a monthly basis. The deadline to pay your PAYE bill is:

• 22nd of the next tax month if you pay online
• 19th of the next tax month if you pay through the post

What happens if I miss the deadline for submitting my tax return?

HMRC charge late penalties on tax returns that are overdue, and the fine increases with time. You might also need to pay interest and further penalties on late payments. Not every tax scheme or reporting requirement uses the same penalty system, so it’s worth checking what’s in place. For example, HMRC operate a points-based penalty system for late VAT submissions.

Where can I get help if I can’t pay my tax bill?

If you need to submit a tax return but you’re worried about paying the bill, you might be able to make a Time to Pay agreement with HMRC. This is basically a payment plan between you and HMRC, so you can make affordable payments if you’re struggling to pay the bill – just be aware that you’ll normally still need to submit your tax return.

What if I have a reason for not submitting my tax return?

HMRC are keen to point out that they will try to help if you have a genuine reason for submitting your tax return late, and you can appeal a fine if you need to.

The criteria for having ‘a reasonable excuse’ is fairly strict, and includes the death of a close relative or unexpected illness. Just to clear a few things up though, HMRC published a list of excuses which were refused:

• “My tax return was on my yacht, which caught fire.”
• “A wasp in my car caused me to have an accident and my tax return, which was inside, was destroyed.”
• “My dog ate my tax return…and all of the reminders.”
• “My wife helps me with my tax return, but she had a headache for ten days.”
• “I couldn’t complete my tax return because my husband left me and took our accountant with him. I am currently trying to find a new accountant.”
• “My husband told me the deadline was 31st March.”
• “My child scribbled all over the tax return, so I wasn’t able to send it back.”
• “I work for myself, but a colleague borrowed my tax return to photocopy it and lost it.”
• “The postman doesn’t deliver to my house.”

 
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