When are the self-assessment tax return deadlines for 2020/21 and 2021/22?

Here are a few key dates to keep in mind about personal tax returns.

Note that if you were newly self-employed on or after 6 April 2021, you don’t need to submit a 2020/21 tax return or make a payment in 2022, unless there's some other reason for this. You will need to register for tax - this is included in an untied account or you also opt for the service - either way  register for tax here via untied here.

The 2020/21 tax year ran from 6 April 2020 to 5 April 2021.

To avoid penalties you need to file your  2020/21 tax return by 28 February 2022 (strictly the deadline is 31 January but HMRC have said you won't be penalised if you file by the end of February - it's a COVID related effective extension). If you miss this filing date, you will be liable to a £100 penalty (unless you have a reasonable excuse or HMRC announces an extension). Additional penalties start to kick in if the tax return is still not submitted after 3 months, 6 months and 12 months.

The 2021/22 tax year runs from 6 April 2021 to 5 April 2022.

If you want HMRC to collect any additional tax via the tax code used against your salary or pension, the cut-off date for submitting your 2020-21 tax return is 30 December 2022.

Otherwise, the 2021/22 tax return submission deadline (for online returns) is 31 January 2023 at midnight. If you miss this filing date, you will be liable to a £100 penalty (unless you have a reasonable excuse or HMRC announces an extension). Additional penalties start to kick in if the tax return is still not submitted after 3 months, 6 months and 12 months.

2021/22 payments

You need to pay any tax and National insurance due for the 2021/22 tax year by 31 January 2023. After that there will be a small amount of interest to pay - the key thing to note is that late payment penalties (equal to 5% of the tax) usually kick in if payment is overdue by 30 days, 6 months and 12 months. So even if you don't pay by the end of January, make sure you pay by the end of February to avoid a stinging late payment penalty. If you are struggling to pay, don’t ignore it - contact HMRC to see if they can agree to a payment plan.

HMRC tell you what you need to pay and when - this comes after your submit your tax return. You will be paying any balancing tax for the year of the return and the first payment on account for the next year. The second payment on account for the next year is due on 31 July.

If you're struggling to pay your tax bill, you may be able to apply for a payment plan to spread your self-assessment payments at GOV.UK but eligibility conditions (listed on the website) apply.