Key dates for accountants in 2025
02 Dec 2024
As an accountant, you work in an industry that is constantly changing. Understanding how key tax year dates affect each of your clients and then staying ahead of tax and regulatory deadlines is vital to the services you provide. Events are not evenly spread out through the tax year either, so this can bring peaks and troughs to your workload.
To help you out, we've prepared the following guide to highlight the key dates in 2025 you need to mark on your calendar. We cover everything from income tax and national minimum wage to key price changes that may impact businesses. We've also included some events to help you keep up to date.
Read on to ensure you've got 2025 and its key tax dates and other deadlines mapped out, putting you in the best position to manage your time effectively.
Of course, if you're looking for a best-in-class CPD training provider to help you meet your accountancy CPD obligations, 20:20 Innovation can help. We have numerous membership options and you can book a no-obligation demo.
January
January 1
Energy Price Cap
Ofgem are increasing the energy price cap from £1,717 to £1,738.
This is less severe than some of the increases seen in the previous year, but you may still find that your business clients are impacted by the additional costs.
Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit
Visual effects expenditure on films and high-end TV programmes becomes eligible for the expenditure credit at a rate of 39%.
January 31
Self Assessment Tax Returns
The conclusion of a busy month for accountants! This is the final deadline for electronic submission for individual, partnership and trust self assessment tax returns for the 2023/24 tax year.
Any client who has not yet paid the balance of their self assessment tax bill for 2023/24 will need to pay it by this date. The first payment on account for the 2024/25 tax year is also due.
February
February 26
20:20 Innovation Spring Conference
Join hundreds of accounting professionals to level up your practice management and profitability at our interactive Spring Conference. The 20:20 Innovation Spring Conference is an event not to be missed.
March
March 2
Rail fare increases
Regulated train fares are set to increase by 4.6%. The increase will apply to season tickets covering most commuter routes, some off-peak return tickets on long distance journeys and flexible tickets for travel in and around some major cities. Train operators can set unregulated fares as they wish, but they usually increase these by a similar amount.
This is the lowest absolute increase in three years, but will still represent an uptick in costs for those of us travelling to see clients and for clients who use trains frequently.
March 12-13
Festival of Accounting
Head to the NEC, Birmingham for the Festival of Accounting to network, source new suppliers, meet clients and explore opportunities.
March 26
Spring Forecast
The Chancellor has confirmed to the House of Commons that the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has been commissioned for an Economic and Fiscal Forecast which will be published on 26 March 2025.
This is in line with the Budget Responsibility and National Audit Act 2011 which requires the OBR to produce two forecasts each financial year. This will be accompanied by a statement to Parliament from the Chancellor.
The Chancellor remains committed to one major fiscal event a year to give families and businesses stability and certainty on upcoming tax and spending changes and, in turn, to support the government’s growth mission.
Source: www.gov.uk
April
April 1
National Minimum Wage
The National Living Wage, which applies to anyone aged 21 and over, increases to £12.21. This is a 6.7% increase.
The National Minimum Wage rate paid to 18-20 year-olds will increase to £10.00, a 16.3% increase. 16-17 year olds and apprentices will receive £7.55, an 18% increase.
These are all notable increases that will affect the wage budget of businesses. Clients may appreciate help in quantifying and budgeting for the uplift in costs.
Stamp duty land tax
The government has confirmed that the temporary increase to stamp duty land tax (SDLT) free thresholds will end. The threshold for first time buyers reduces to £300,000. For everyone else the nil rate SDLT threshold reduces to £125,000.
Business rates
The standard multiplier for business rates increases to 55.5 pence. However, the small business multiplier - which applies to properties with a rateable value of less than £51,000 - remains frozen at 49.9 pence.
Fuel duty
The fuel duty freeze was due to end with prices increasing from April 1. However, it was announced during the Autumn Budget 2024 that the freeze would continue for at least another year. Good news for motorists and businesses!
Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED)
The ATED charges increase automatically in line with inflation. The increase is based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from September 2024, i.e. 1.7%.
April 1-2
Digital Accountancy Show
Taking place over two days at Evolution London, the Digital Accountancy Show will give you a chance to look at the technologies set to shape your work and processes in 2025. 20:20 Innovation are the official "CPD partner" for the event, so there will be some great education opportunities too!
April 6 - New tax year begins
Employers National Insurance increases
The Employers National Insurance rate increases to 15% from 13.8% for the new tax year. The Secondary Threshold (the threshold at which employer national insurance contributions begin to be paid) also reduces to £5,000 a year. You should check that your payroll software has been updated for these changes - clients who run their own payroll may need reminding.
The maximum Employment Allowance is increased from £5,000 to £10,500. In addition, the restriction that prevents employers that have paid more than £100,000 in employers NICs in the previous tax year from claiming has been removed. This means all eligible businesses will now be able to claim the reduction, regardless of how much employers NICs they paid in 2024/25.
Dividend allowance
There is no change to the dividend allowance - it stays at £500 for the tax year. However, in view of the changes to employers NICs and marginal relief staying in force you may need to consider what the optimum salary and dividends mix is for the 2024/25 tax year for your director/shareholder clients.
Capital gains tax
The rate on gains subject to business asset disposal relief and investors relief increases to 14% from 10%. The rate will increase to 18% from 6 April 2026, so clients considering selling or retiring will want to factor this into their plans.
The capital gains tax rate for carried interest for both basic and higher payers is increased to 32%. The intention is for this to be brought within the Income Tax Framework from the 2026/27 tax year.
Residence based regime for foreign income and gains
The concept of domicile has ended in tax regulations and a new residence-based regime begins. A Temporary Repatriation Facility (TRF) will be available for 3 years to taxpayers who previously used the remittance basis. Individuals can elect to pay tax at the TRF rate of 12% in the 2025/26 tax year on offshore funds they designate. The designated funds will not then be taxed on remittance to the UK.
Current and past remittance basis users can rebase personally held foreign assets to 5 April 2017 where certain conditions are met.
Company car tax
The appropriate percentage for all company car users (assuming no change in car) increases by 1%.
April 7
State pension and Benefits increase
The State Pension is set to rise 4.1% in accordance with the triple-lock approach. This will take a full state pension to £230.25 per week.
Anyone who receives working age benefits will see these increase by 1.7% in line with the inflation rate in September 2024.
April 30
The deadline for filing the Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED) return for limited companies that own residential property is 30 April. Payment of ATED is due on the same date.
May
May 14-15
Accountex London
Held at the ExCel in London, Accountex will bring together almost 300 top fintech companies and provide many education opportunities.
May 31
Each employee who was employed as at 5 April must be issued with a P60 form, on paper or electronically.
July
July 6
This is the deadline for submitting the 2024/25 tax year P11D forms to HMRC. It is also the deadline for submitting the return of Employment Related Securities.
July 31
Payment on account deadline
This is the payment deadline for self-employed clients who need to make a second payment on account towards their self assessment tax bill for the 2025/26 tax year.
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September
September 10
Wage figures announced
Around this date, the Office for National Statistics will release figures on the average increase in total wages across the UK for May to July. This increase will be relevant to the state pension and triple lock calculations.
September 23
Accountex Summit Manchester
Join 120+ accountancy software and service suppliers at Accountex Summit Manchester to see what's happening with the latest tech, trends and legislation.
October
October 5
Self assessment registration
This is the deadline for taxpayers to tell HMRC if they need to complete a self assessment tax return for the 2024/25 tax year and have not sent one before (i.e. self assessment registration).
October 15
Inflation figures
In mid-October, the Office for National Statistics will publish their inflation figures for September. While they publish inflation figures each month, the September inflation figure is part of the triple lock system that determines the increases to apply to state pension and benefits for the following fiscal year.
October 23
20:20 Innovation Annual Conference
The 20:20 Innovation Annual Conference for 2025 is being held at the Vox, Resorts World in Birmingham. Come along for exceptional keynote speakers, CPD points and networking opportunities.
October 31
Self assessment tax return
Any client who wants to submit a paper self assessment tax return needs to submit it by midnight 31 October.
December
December 30
Those self assessment taxpayers who wish for HMRC to collect any tax due via their PAYE tax code should file their 2024/25 self assessment tax return by this date.
Throughout the Year
Corporation tax and company accounts
The deadline for filing company accounts and corporation tax returns, as well as making corporation tax payments are linked to the company's accounting period end.
For companies with standard accounting periods, they need to pay corporation tax 9 months and one day after the company’s accounting period ends. The corporation tax return is due 12 months after the accounting period ends.
Larger companies are required to pay their corporation tax in instalments. Large companies (taxable profits between £1.5 million and £20 million) and very large companies (taxable profits over £20 million) both pay corporation tax by instalments, but the deadlines differ.
Besides handling corporation tax, a copy of the statutory accounts also needs to be filed at Companies House. Accounts must be filed 9 months after the company's financial year ends. In addition, the annual confirmation statement must be completed every 12 months.
VAT returns and payments
VAT payment deadlines are usually one month and seven days following the end of the VAT accounting period, with the VAT return being due on the same date.
PAYE
For employers, PAYE deductions must be paid to HMRC by the 19th of each month (22nd if the payment is made electronically).
Capital gains tax
For those who sell a second property in the UK, any Capital Gains Tax due must be paid and the gain reported within 60 days of completion.
Joining 20:20 Innovation in 2025
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