How to pay your Self Assessment tax bill
The ways to pay, how long each one takes to reach HMRC, and the dates your balancing payment and payments on account fall due.
Last checked 12 August 2026
Before you start
Paying is quick. Getting the reference and the timing right is what matters.
Your UTR — the payment reference is the 10-digit number followed by the
letter K.
The amount from your tax calculation, including any payment on account.
Online or telephone banking, if you're paying by bank transfer.
The deadline you're paying against, so you can pick a method that arrives
in time.
Check what you owe, and which deadline it belongs to
Your HMRC account shows the balancing payment for the tax year just gone
and any payment on account towards the current one. They are separate
amounts falling on different dates, so make sure you know which one
you're paying before you send anything.
Ways to pay on GOV.UK →Deadline
31 January 2027 — the balancing payment for the year ended 5 April
2026, plus the first payment on account for 2026/27.
Use your UTR as the payment reference
Every payment needs your 10-digit UTR followed by the letter K —
1234567890K, for example. Without it HMRC can't match the money to your
record, so the bill stays open even though you've paid.
Pick a method that arrives before the deadline
Faster Payments from online or telephone banking normally reaches HMRC
the same or the next day, and paying by debit card online is just as
quick. Bacs, an existing Direct Debit, or a cheque in the post take
around three working days, and a brand new Direct Debit needs about five
— so those only work if you're paying well ahead.
Good to know
Personal credit cards aren't accepted. A corporate card carries a fee
you can't reclaim.
Spread it with a Budget Payment Plan
If your payments are up to date you can pay weekly or monthly by Direct
Debit towards your next bill, and change or pause the amount when you
need to. Anything still outstanding when the deadline arrives is due as
normal.
Budget Payment Plans on GOV.UK →Talk to HMRC early if you can't pay in full
You may be able to set up a Time to Pay arrangement online without
phoning, if you owe £30,000 or less, your returns are up to date, and
you're within 60 days of the payment deadline. Interest still runs, but
the late-payment penalties don't apply while you keep to the plan.
If you cannot pay on GOV.UK →Understand why payments on account exist
If your bill comes to more than £1,000 and less than 80% of your tax was
already taken at source, HMRC asks for two advance payments towards next
year — each half of this year's bill. You can ask to reduce them if you
expect to earn less, but cut them below what you end up owing and HMRC
charges interest on the difference.
Deadline
31 July 2027 — the second payment on account for 2026/27.
Common questions
Paying, in practice
What happens if I pay late?
Interest runs from the day after the deadline. On top of that, a 5%
penalty applies if the balancing payment is still unpaid 30 days after
the due date, with further 5% charges at six months and twelve months.
Can I reduce my payments on account?
Yes, if you genuinely expect a smaller bill — you can do it in your HMRC
account or on form SA303. Reduce them below what you actually owe and
HMRC charges interest on the shortfall.
Does the money have to clear on the deadline day?
It has to reach HMRC by the deadline, not just leave your account. If
the deadline falls on a weekend or a bank holiday, pay so it arrives on
the last working day before — unless you're using Faster Payments, which
runs every day.
I've paid but my account still shows the bill
Give HMRC a few working days to allocate it. If it's still showing after
that, check the reference you used — a missing K on the end is the usual
cause.
Related guides
The rest of the Self Assessment year.
Know what you owe long before January.
Bookfolio works out your Income Tax and National Insurance as the year goes along, so the January bill is never a surprise — and files your MTD for Income Tax quarterly updates to HMRC when they're due.