There are several reasons why you might need to file a self-assessment tax return. This could apply if you are self-employed, a company director, have an annual income over £150,000, or receive income from savings, investments or property.

You must file a self-assessment tax return if any of the following apply to you during the tax year:

• You were self-employed as a sole trader and earned more than £1,000 (before expenses).
• You were a partner in a business partnership.
• Your total taxable income exceeded £150,000 in the 2025–26 tax year. However, even if your income is below £150,000, other factors (such as rental income or capital gains) may still mean you need to file a self-assessment return.
• You had to pay Capital Gains Tax on the sale or disposal of assets.
• You were liable for the High Income Child Benefit Charge.
• You had other sources of untaxed income, such as:
  o Rental income from property
  o Tips or commission
  o Savings and investment income (including dividends)
  o Foreign income

If you are filing a self-assessment return for the first time, you must notify HMRC by 5 October following the end of the tax year. For the 2025–26 tax year (ending 5 April 2026), this means the registration deadline is 5 October 2026.

HMRC provides a helpful online tool to check whether you need to submit a self-assessment return: www.gov.uk/check-if-you-need-tax-return.

If you have not yet checked whether you need to use Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax, you should do so urgently. HMRC has issued a timely reminder that for many self-employed and landlords the way to report tax to HMRC will change significantly from 6 April 2026.

MTD for Income Tax is a significant move away from the traditional annual self-assessment process towards a more digital and frequent approach, requiring taxpayers to manage records and submit updates through recognised software. The new system is being gradually rolled out over the coming years.

More than 860,000 sole traders and landlords earning over £50,000 from self-employment or property need to start using digital reporting from April 2026. MTD for Income Tax requires users to keep digital records and send quarterly updates of income and expenses. These updates are not additional tax returns and are created by recognised and approved software providers. A full tax return will still be required by the following 31 January after the tax year, i.e., the first MTD tax return, covering the 2026-27 tax year, will be due by 31 January 2028.

HMRC’s Director of Making Tax Digital, said:

‘With two months to go until MTD for Income Tax launches, now is the time to act. A range of software is available, and the system is straightforward and helps reduce errors. Thousands of volunteers have already used it successfully.

This will make it easier for sole traders and landlords to stay on top of their tax affairs and help ensure everyone pays the right amount of tax.

Spreading your tax admin throughout the year means avoiding that last minute scramble to complete a tax return every January. Go to GOV.UK and start preparing today.’

Taxpayers joining MTD for Income Tax in April 2026 will not receive penalty points for late quarterly updates for the first 12 months, giving time to adjust. There are also exemptions available for those who genuinely cannot use digital tools.

We would be happy to help if you need assistance getting started with MTD for Income Tax.

If you believe that you have overpaid tax to HMRC, you may be entitled to claim a tax refund. Overpayments can occur for a variety of reasons, including changes to employment, incorrect tax codes or unclaimed allowances. The process for making a claim will depend on whether you submit a self-assessment tax return and how long ago the tax was overpaid.

According to HMRC, you may be able to claim a refund if you have paid too much tax on:

• pay from a job
• job expenses such as working from home, fuel, work clothing or tools
• a pension
• a self-assessment tax return
• a redundancy payment
• UK income if you live abroad
• interest from savings or payment protection insurance (PPI)
• income from a life or pension annuity
• foreign income
• UK income earned before leaving the UK

HMRC provides an online tool to help individuals check their eligibility and make a claim for a tax refund. This can be accessed at https://www.gov.uk/claim-tax-refund/y.

Claims can usually be backdated for up to four years after the end of the tax year. This means that claims still be made for tax refunds dating back as far as the 2021-22 tax year which ended on 5 April 2022. The deadline for making claims for the 2021-22 tax year is 5 April 2026. It is important to ensure that all information provided is accurate and that claims are made within the required time limits.