First self-assessment return — how worried should I be about the 31 January deadline?

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First self-assessment return — how worried should I be about the 31 January deadline?

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Morning everyone. I'm a freelance graphic designer and I need to file my first self-assessment tax return for this tax year. Everyone keeps saying 'don't miss the 31st of January' like it's some kind of doomsday, so now I'm a bit nervous. A few basic questions: does the 31 January deadline apply to both filing AND paying? What happens if I'm a few days late — is it an instant fine? And when do I actually need to register with HMRC to file — can I leave it until January or is that cutting it too fine? Sorry if these are daft questions, I just want to get it right first time.

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Answer 1

DDasiy Smith

They're not daft questions at all — yes, 31 January is both the filing deadline and the payment deadline, so your return and your tax payment are both due that day. And yes, it's effectively an instant fine: the £100 late filing penalty applies even if you're only a day late. On registration, don't leave it until January — you must tell HMRC by 5 October after the tax year ends, and your Unique Taxpayer Reference can take weeks to arrive, so registering late risks missing the January deadline altogether. My advice: register now, keep your records tidy through the year, and aim to file well before January — the peace of mind is worth it.

First self-assessment return — how worried should I be about the 31 January deadline?

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