Payments on Account
Payments on account calculator — what you owe in January and July.
Work out your Self Assessment payments on account for 31 January and 31 July, including the first-year January payment that is often 150% of last year's bill.
Each payment on account is half of last year's Self Assessment bill (Income Tax and Class 4 NI, not CGT or student loans). They are due on 31 January and 31 July. None are needed if last year's bill was under £1,000 or more than 80% of your tax was collected at source. In your first year, January brings last year's full bill plus the first instalment — 150% of the bill.
Reviewed by Kamran Ishaq FCCA, Founder & CEO · Last updated
Due 31 January 2027
£9,000
Payments on account apply: two instalments, each half of last year's bill.
- Balancing payment
- £6,000
- 1st payment on account
- £3,000
- Due 31 July 2027
- £3,000
Last year, after instalments
Also due in January
2nd payment on account
What the January payment is made of
Your two payment dates
- 31 January 2027£9,000
- 31 July 2027£3,000
First year of payments on account: January is 150% of last year's bill. If your income has fallen, you can ask HMRC to reduce the instalments.
Rates and rules from Payments on account (HM Revenue & Customs) and Self Assessment deadlines (HM Revenue & Customs).
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Ask an accountantQuestions
Frequently asked
questions.
In your first year of payments on account, the 31 January payment is the balance of the previous year's bill plus the first payment on account for the current year — half as much again. A £6,000 bill becomes a £9,000 January payment, then £3,000 in July.
Yes. If you expect this year's bill to be lower — because profits have fallen or you have stopped trading — you can ask HMRC to reduce them through your online account or form SA303. If you reduce them too far, HMRC charges interest on the shortfall.
No. Payments on account cover Income Tax and Class 4 National Insurance only. Capital Gains Tax and student loan repayments are paid in full with the balancing payment on 31 January.
They stop automatically when last year's Self Assessment bill was under £1,000, or when more than 80% of your tax was collected at source, for example through PAYE.
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