Tax Year Dates and Filing Deadlines for UK Limited Companies

As a business owner, director, or company secretary, it is vital that you understand the UK’s personal and company tax rules, including the tax year dates and filing deadlines. Throughout the business year, you will need to prepare and submit returns for your business and personal tax and pay any amount owed. Missing even a single corporation, VAT, or self-assessment tax submission or payment deadline can lead to financial penalties and accrued interest. This guide sets out the tax year dates and filing deadlines for UK limited companies to help you remain compliant with your legal obligations.

What are the tax year dates for UK limited companies?

‘Tax year dates’ refers to the start and end of the annual period for calculating tax. The standard tax year in the UK is 6^th April to 5^th April; however, for a limited company, tax year dates are based on the accounting period, which may be different. 

A company’s tax year starts on the start date set upon incorporation and ends on the final day of a calendar month 12 months later (e.g. 1^st August to 31^st July). As such, it is common for the first company financial year to be a few more days than 12 months. If there is a need to align the financial year with that of a parent company, the financial year may be less than 12 months. 

You may also hear the term ‘accounting reference date’; this refers to the date that Companies House sets for the end of your company’s financial year and is the last day of the month in which your company was formed.

Summary of the key tax deadlines

Running a company means that you will most likely need to manage multiple filing deadlines throughout the year. Here are the key dates and filing deadlines to be aware of for annual accounts, corporation tax, confirmation statements, VAT, and PAYE:

Tax type	Deadline
Annual Accounts	Nine months after the accounting period ends (i.e. the accounting reference date), e.g. if your company’s financial year end date is 31st March 2024, annual accounts must be filed with Companies House no later than 31st December 2024.
Corporation tax payment	Nine months and 1 day after the accounting period ends, e.g. if your accounting period ends on 31st March 2024, payment must be received by HMRC by 1st January 2025.
Confirmation Statement	This is due within 14 days after the end of your 12-month review period. This review period begins either on the date of company formation or on the statement date of the previous confirmation statement. It ends the day before the anniversary of these dates.
VAT filing and payment	Due one calendar month and 7 days after the end of the quarterly accounting period (assuming you pay tax quarterly) – e.g. if the quarter concludes on 31st March 2023, the deadline for submitting the VAT return online and making the payment for that quarter is 7th May 2023.
PAYE Payment	If paying PAYE monthly, the deadline is the 22nd of the following tax month. If paying PAYE quarterly, the deadline is the 22nd of the final tax month of the quarter.

It is advisable to keep a record of the key dates and deadlines related to your business. Adding them to your calendar as a recurring entry can also be extremely useful so that you can find them when needed. Doing so will help you to prepare and send financial statements, corporation tax returns, and other submissions to Companies House in good time. Crucially, knowing your tax year dates will allow you to maintain compliance with the tax rules, ensure your company is in good standing and avoid any financial penalties.

Annual accounts submission deadlines

Your company’s annual accounts summarise its financial performance over the tax year and include a balance sheet and profit and loss statement. All UK limited companies are required by company law to prepare and submit annual accounts to Companies House by a set date to ensure transparency to shareholders and the public.

The deadline for the submission of your company’s annual accounts will depend on whether you are submitting your first or subsequent accounts, as follows:

Event	Deadline
First Accounts	21 months after incorporation
Subsequent Accounts	9 months after the end of the accounting period (i.e. the accounting reference date)

Potential penalties for late annual accounts filing

Companies House may charge a penalty if your company’s annual accounts are not submitted on time. Fines start at £150 for delays under one month and increase to £1,500 for delays over six months. Persistent non-compliance may also lead to legal action or a forced company strike-off. The current fines for late annual accounting filing as of 2024 for private limited companies are as follows:

Delay in submission	Penalty
Up to 1 month	£150
1 to 3 months	£375
3 to 6 months	£750
More than 6 months	£1,500

Corporation tax return and payment

Corporation tax is the tax due on the profits of a company and must be paid to HMRC no later than 9 months and 1 day after the end of the accounting period. Limited companies must submit a Corporation Tax Return (CT600) to HMRC, which sets out the amount of tax owed based on the profits, allowable expenses, and deductions of the company in the financial year.

Late payment penalties and interest

If your company does not file its Company Tax Return on time, the following penalties may apply:

Time after deadline	Penalty
1 day	£100
3 months	Another £100
6 months	HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will estimate your Corporation Tax bill and add a penalty of 10% to the unpaid tax.
12 months	Another 10% of any unpaid tax

If your company does not pay the corporation tax by the deadline date, HMRC will automatically start to charge interest on a daily basis until full payment is made. As of November 2024, the corporation tax late payment interest rate is 7.5%. 

Self-assessment tax deadlines for directors

If you are a company director who receives income from your company in the form of dividends or from other sources, you may need to prepare and submit a self-assessment tax return for your own tax liability. Your accountant will prepare this for you. The following self-assessment deadlines apply:

• Midnight 31^st October – Paper return deadline (if submitting by post).
• Midnight 31^st January – Online filing and payment deadline.
• 31^st July – The second payment if paying ‘on account’.

It is important that, as a limited company director, you pay any tax you owe on time to avoid interest and penalties.

PAYE and National Insurance deadlines

Limited companies with employees also have to pay PAYE (Pay As You Earn) and National Insurance contributions on behalf of their employers. PAYE is normally due monthly, with payments required by the 22nd of the following month if paid electronically or by the 19th if paid by cheque. For smaller businesses, HMRC typically allows quarterly PAYE payments. 

• Monthly PAYE – due on the 22nd of the following month (if paying electronically)
• Quarterly PAYE – for employers with small monthly PAYE and National Insurance amounts.

VAT Filing Deadlines

If your company is registered with HMRC for VAT, you must ensure that VAT returns are submitted and payments on time. Most companies pay VAT quarterly; however, some pay on a monthly or annual basis. Assuming that you pay VAT quarterly, your VAT return must be received by HMRC no later than one month and 7 days after the VAT quarter ends. For example, if your VAT period ends on 31^st March 2025, your filing and payment are due on the 7^th May 2025. 

Companies with high VAT transactions can choose to file returns monthly to help with cash flow management. Alternatively, businesses on the VAT Annual Accounting Scheme can submit only one annual return.

Confirmation statement deadlines

As a limited company owner, you must ensure that a Confirmation Statement is prepared and filed with Companies House each year to confirm the accuracy of the information they hold. 

You must ensure that your company’s Confirmation Statement is filed with Companies House within 14 days of the end of your 12-month review period. Your 12-month review period starts on either the date your company was incorporated, or the date on which you last filed a confirmation statement

Penalties and fines for late filing

As we have mentioned throughout this guide, failing to meet filing deadlines can result in both financial cost and reputational harm. This is especially the case if your company starts to build up penalties for missing returns and payment deadlines for multiple forms of tax. Late filing penalties include:

• Annual Accounts – For private limited companies, there is a £150 penalty if late by up to one month, increasing to £1,500 for delays over six months. For public companies, penalties range from £750 to £7,500.

• Corporation Tax – Interest accrues daily on unpaid tax, and penalties apply for missed deadlines.
• VAT Returns – Penalties for late submissions depend on the company’s VAT history, with escalating fines for repeated lateness.
• PAYE – Late PAYE payments can result in a percentage-based penalty of up to 4% of the amount due.

Avoiding penalties for late filings and payments

To avoid any penalties, we recommend making sure you plan ahead to get your accounts and other submissions delivered by the required deadline. Remember, filing dates are strict, so even if your deadline falls on a Sunday or Bank Holiday, your accounts must still be submitted on time. Here are some tips to help you meet your deadline:

• Set reminders in your calendar well before the deadline.
• Sign up for Companies House email notifications.
• Notify your accountants promptly and ensure they know the deadline for submitting your accounts, and
• Since first-class post doesn’t guarantee next-day delivery, you may want to use a guaranteed delivery option, especially if your filing date is near.

Final words

We hope you have found this guide to tax year dates and filing deadlines useful. Understanding your tax year dates and filing deadlines is a key requirement for all company owners, directors, and company secretaries. By taking the time now to ensure you have them noted down and that you understand what is expected for each, you can avoid any penalties. It is always advisable to use the services of financial professionals such as company and personal accountants who can handle this for you.