A record 299,419 returns filed in the first week of the new tax year
Source: gov.uk (2025-05-06)

Nearly 300,000 customers file their Self Assessment tax return for the 2024 to 2025 tax year at earliest opportunity.

- Thousands of taxpayers filed their tax return on 6 April 2025.
- People who file their Self Assessment tax returns early and are owed a tax refund can receive it sooner.
- Customers can set up a budget payment plan at any time to make regular payments towards their tax bill.
A record nearly 300,000 people have filed their tax return in the first week of the new tax year, almost 10 months ahead of the deadline, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed.

Self Assessment customers can submit their tax return for the 2024 to 2025 tax year between 6 April 2025, the first day of the new tax year, and the deadline on 31 January 2026.

Thousands more people are choosing to file their tax returns during the first week of the new tax year (6 to 12 April), with an extra 28,503 filing in 2025, compared to 270,916 people in 2020.

There were 57,815 early filers on the opening day, which was a Sunday, compared to 67,870 people who filed on Saturday 6 April 2024. HMRC is encouraging people to file early so they know what tax they owe sooner, plan for any payments in advance and can avoid the stress of leaving it until January.

Jade Milbourne, 34, runs a dog grooming salon with her business partner. They offer high-quality dog grooming and teeth cleaning services for dogs ranging from Chihuahuas to German Shepherds. Jade has been running the business for 5 years and believes the way to stay on top of her tax return each year is to stay organised.

Jade said:

Filing early means that I have plenty of time to pay my tax bill. I set aside money from my wage each month and pay it as soon as I can, but also have the flexibility and time to save up more money, if needed.

I always find the more organised you are throughout the year, the less stressful it is to complete my tax return.

Anyone who thinks they may need to complete a tax return for the 2024 to 2025 tax year can use the checker tool (https://www.gov.uk/check-if-you-need-tax-return) on GOV.UK to find out. New entrants to Self Assessment must register (https://www.gov.uk/register-for-self-assessment) to receive their Unique Taxpayer Reference.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said:

Filing your Self Assessment early means you can spend more time growing your business and doing the things you love, rather than worrying about your tax return.

You too can join the thousands of customers who have already done their tax return for the 2024 to 2025 tax year by searching ‘Self Assessment’ on GOV.UK and get started today.

Filing early will help with financial budgeting and spread the cost of the tax bill over the year. Customers can set up a budget payment plan (https://www.gov.uk/pay-self-assessment-tax-bill/pay-weekly-monthly) to make either weekly or monthly direct debit payments towards their Self Assessment tax bill.

In cases where tax has been overpaid, refunds can be claimed as soon as the return has been processed. Customers will be able to check if they are due a refund in the HMRC app. It also means people can take their time to complete their return, ensuring all the information submitted is accurate. This will result in fewer mistakes and potential penalties.

HMRC has updated guidance on filing tax returns early (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/file-your-self-assessment-tax-return-early/file-your-tax-return-early) and help around paying tax bills on GOV.UK.

People may need to complete a tax return for the 2024 to 2025 tax year and pay any tax owed if they:
- are newly self-employed with a total income over £1,000
- are self-employed and earn below £1,000 and wish to pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions (NICs) voluntarily to protect their entitlement to state pension and certain benefits
- have received any untaxed income over £2,500
- are renting out one or more properties
- claim Child Benefit and they or their partner have an income above £60,000
- are a partner in a business partnership
- have taxable income earned from savings and investments more than the £10,000 have dividend income of more than £10,000
- have Capital Gains Tax to pay on assets that were sold for a profit above the Capital Gains threshold
A full list of who needs to complete a tax return (https://www.gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns/who-must-send-a-tax-return) is available on GOV.UK.

Criminals use emails, phone calls and texts to try to steal information and money from taxpayers. Before sharing their personal or financial details, people should search ‘HMRC phishing and scams’ on GOV.UK to check the sender or caller is genuine.

Customers should never share their HMRC sign-in details. Someone could use them to steal from them or claim benefits or a refund in their name.

Case Study

‘Being organised helps takes the stress out of completing a tax return’

Jade Milbourne, 34, runs a dog grooming salon with her business partner. They offer high-quality dog grooming and teeth cleaning services for our four-legged friends. Jade has been running the business for 5 years and believes the way to stay on top of her tax return each year is to stay organised.

Jade recalls feeling intimidated the first time she completed her Self Assessment tax return because she wanted to make sure it was correct. But experience and familiarity with the system means she now finds it stress-free and straight-forward to complete – as long as she leaves time to pay her tax bill.

Jade says:

I like to complete my tax return early, usually after our business books have been submitted by our accountant and I have the dividend confirmation statement. I stay organised by keeping digital records of my payslips and any other information I might need to include in my tax return.

Filing early means that I have plenty of time to pay my tax bill. I set aside money from my wage each month and pay it as soon as I can, but also have the flexibility and time to save up more money, if needed.

Jade’s advice for any business owners who are new to Self Assessment is to stay organised and keep on top of your records. She deals with invoices or paperwork as soon as possible and keeps digital records of everything.

I always find the more organised you are throughout the year, the less stressful it is to complete my tax return.

A video of Jade speaking about Self Assessment is available on YouTube.

Why I Filed My Self Assessment Early: Jade’s Story (https://youtu.be/Q4GV_JbllJ8)

Further Information

Visit GOV.UK to find out more about Self Assessment (https://www.gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns) and how to file a tax return.

Breakdown of filing data:

*weekend days

Sole traders and landlords with a qualifying income over £50,000 will be required to use Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax from 6 April 2026. This marks a significant change and individuals with qualifying income will need to keep digital records, use MTD-compatible software and submit quarterly summaries of their income and expenses to HMRC. These digital requirements will help businesses save time through more efficient record-keeping, reduce errors in tax calculations, and provide a clearer picture of their tax obligations throughout the year. HMRC is urging eligible customers to sign up to a testing programme (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/sign-up-your-business-for-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax) on GOV.UK and start preparing now. Agents can also register their clients (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/sign-up-your-client-for-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax) via GOV.UK.

Pensioners are required to pay Income Tax on any taxable income, including their pension income, above their Personal Allowance (https://www.gov.uk/income-tax-rates) threshold. There are different ways to pay any tax owed, depending on the individual’s circumstances, including:
- if they already complete a Self Assessment tax return, they will need to report and pay via this route
- if they have a PAYE tax code, HMRC will automatically collect any tax through their tax code
Alternatively, if a pensioner does not already pay tax via Self Assessment or PAYE, HMRC will send them a Simple Assessment summary. The Simple Assessment will tell them how much Income Tax they need to pay and the deadline – usually by 31 January following the end of the tax year. HMRC produces the Simple Assessment from the information it holds along with information it receives from third parties such as bank and building societies. People do not need to do anything - there is no form to complete. More information about Simple Assessment (https://www.gov.uk/check-simple-assessment) is available on GOV.UK.

It is important that customers let HMRC know if there are any changes in details or circumstances (https://www.gov.uk/tell-hmrc-change-of-details/income-changes) such as a new address or name, or if they are no longer self-employed or their business has closed. They should not assume someone else will update HMRC on their behalf.

If customers no longer need to do Self Assessment (https://www.gov.uk/stop-being-self-employed), they will need to tell HMRC.