What Are Payments on Account?
What Are Payments on Account?
Payments on account are advance payments made towards your next Self Assessment tax bill.
In many cases, HMRC will ask you to make two payments on account each year.
You usually need to make them unless:
your latest tax bill is less than £1,000, or
80% or more of your tax is collected at source, for example through PAYE.
Each payment on account is normally 50% of your previous year’s tax bill.
The two payment dates are:
31 January
31 July
Example
Let’s say you are entering the payments on account system for the first time.
Your tax bill for the 2025/26 tax year is £4,000.
This means:
your 2025/26 tax bill of £4,000 is due by 31 January 2027
your first payment on account for 2026/27 is £2,000 and is also due by 31 January 2027
So the total due on 31 January 2027 would be:
£6,000 (£4,000 + £2,000)
Your second payment on account of £2,000 would then be due on 31 July 2027.
What Happens Next?
When your 2026/27 tax return is prepared, your actual tax bill for that year will be calculated.
If your actual 2026/27 tax bill is higher than the payments on account you have already made, you will need to pay the balance by 31 January 2028.
If your actual 2026/27 tax bill is lower than the payments on account made, HMRC will usually refund the overpayment or set it against future tax.
Why Payments on Account Catch People Out
The first year often comes as a surprise because you are effectively paying:
the tax for the previous year, and
an advance payment towards the next year
That is why the January payment can feel much larger than expected.
Final Thought
Payments on account do not mean you are being taxed twice. They are simply advance payments towards your next tax bill.
The key is to plan ahead, so there are no nasty surprises in January or July.
