Latest update from HMRC

Self Assessment: register by 5 October 

HMRC is reminding anyone who needs to complete a tax return for the first time to register for Self Assessment by 5 October.

Customers may need to complete a tax return if they have untaxed income, such as from self-employment or property rental. The online checker on GOV.UK can help customers find out if they need to submit a tax return for the 2025 to 2026 tax year.

Customers returning to Self Assessment who didn’t submit a tax return last year don’t need to register again. They can simply reactivate their existing account using their Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR).

Registering early means customers will get their UTR in time for the online filing deadline of 31 January 2027.

Anyone who no longer needs to submit a tax return should tell HMRC as soon as possible. This helps avoid unnecessary reminders or penalties.

Help customers to get their tax right by sharing this important reminder with your networks.

There’s still time to extend Child Benefit for parents and carers  

If a young person aged 16 to 19 is staying in full-time non-advanced education or approved training (including home study due to illness or disability) then Child Benefit can continue.

In August we asked stakeholders to remind their networks that Child Benefit automatically stops on 31 August after a child turns 16 unless parents or carers confirm that their child is continuing in education or training by this date.

For customers who missed this deadline, Child Benefit payments will have stopped automatically. However, claims can be restarted, with backdating available for up to three months. Parents and carers who want to continue receiving Child Benefit should act as early as possible but before 30 November to receive their full entitlement.

Customers can extend quickly and easily using the HMRC app or online, avoiding the need to call. More than 550,000 families have already extended their Child Benefit.

Anyone earning more than £60,000 a year, or whose partner earns above this amount, will need to pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge. The charge can now be paid through a PAYE tax code.

The HMRC app can help customers plan for retirement 

Following September’s Pension Awareness Week, now is the ideal time to encourage your networks to start thinking about retirement and the simple steps they can take to prepare for the future.

It’s never too soon to plan ahead, and with the HMRC app customers can manage their State Pension and retirement needs all in one place.

On the app customers can:

Update on recovery of Winter Fuel Payments for PAYE customers 

People with a total income above £35,000 will have their Winter Fuel Payments, or Pension Age Winter Heating Payments in Scotland, collected through their tax code unless they complete a Self Assessment tax return.

From April 2027, HMRC will move to recovering Winter Fuel Payments in the year they are paid, bringing recovery into line with normal PAYE practice. During the transition, some customers will temporarily repay two years’ payments at the same time.

Some may see two amounts in their tax code from January 2027, rather than April 2027 as previously communicated, as they start to repay their 2026 to 2027 payment alongside their 2025 to 2026 payment.

Further information is available on GOV.UK.

What is the foreign income and gains (FIG) regime? 

From 6 April 2025, the tax rules for non-UK domiciled individuals changed. The remittance basis of taxation was replaced by the foreign income and gains (FIG) regime.

HMRC has published a new YouTube video explaining the FIG regime. It covers what’s changed, eligibility, the income and gains that qualify for relief, how to make a claim and the impact a claim may have on your tax position.

Detailed guidance can also be found on GOV.UK and in HMRC’s Residence and FIG Regime Manual.

Loan Charge Settlement Scheme 

HMRC is encouraging customers with outstanding Loan Charge liabilities to take advantage of a new settlement scheme that could significantly reduce the amount they have to pay, with some customers able to settle without making any payment.

We have started contacting eligible customers, but those with an outstanding Loan Charge liability do not need to wait for a letter and may contact their HMRC caseworker to discuss their options.

Around one third of eligible customers may be able to settle without making a payment, while others could benefit from substantial reductions depending on their circumstances. Customers who are unable to pay immediately may be able to agree affordable payment arrangements.

More information on how the Loan Charge Settlement Scheme will be implemented and the latest guidance and updates can be found on GOV.UK.

We have also created a video, available on our YouTube channel, explaining the Loan Charge Settlement Scheme and how it could help anyone with an unresolved liability.

Please share this message with your networks to help raise awareness of the settlement scheme, and to encourage anyone who receives correspondence from HMRC to get in touch as soon as possible.

Help to Save: how eligible customers can benefit from a government bonus 

HMRC is raising awareness of the Help to Save scheme by encouraging people to check whether they could benefit.

Help to Save gives eligible low-income earners a 50% bonus on their savings. People can save between £1 and £50 each month and receive a 50p bonus for every £1 saved. Accounts can be opened for up to four years, allowing those participating to save up to £2,400 and receive up to £1,200 in government bonus payments.

Since launching in 2018, 656,700 accounts have been opened, with savers depositing £676.7 million.

From 2028, the earnings criteria will be removed for Universal Credit claimants with caring responsibilities, making an additional 1.5 million households eligible.

It takes just a few minutes to check eligibility and open an account on GOV.UK or the HMRC app. Please share this information with your networks to help more customers benefit from the Help to Save scheme.

Child Trust Funds (CTFs) 

With universities across the country either having commenced or about to begin their new terms, HMRC is asking stakeholders to share this important message about CTFs with their networks.

CTFs are tax-free savings accounts set up for children born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011, with an initial government payment of at least £250. These accounts are worth on average £2,310 and can provide a meaningful financial boost as young people move into further study, training or work.

It takes about five minutes to submit a request to find a Child Trust Fund through the online tool using the young person’s National Insurance number and date of birth.

For those who don’t have their National Insurance number to hand, they can quickly and easily download it from the HMRC app and keep it in their digital wallet for whenever it’s needed.

Latest figures show around 827,000 young adults are yet to access their matured accounts. You can help more young people to claim their savings and get the head start they need by sharing the GOV.UK information on CTFs.

National Minimum Wage: help apprentices check their pay 

HMRC is reminding apprentices to check they are being paid at least the National Minimum Wage. This includes being paid for all the time they spend working or training.

Please share this message with your networks to help encourage apprentices to check that:

You can keep sharing our eye-catching campaign resources in your newsletters, on your website and across your socials to help protect contractors.

Our guidance, tools, personal stories and short YouTube video explain how umbrella companies work and how to identify, leave or report tax avoidance schemes.

HMRC never approves any tax avoidance scheme, no matter what some promoters claim. We also publish a list of named tax avoidance schemes and their promoters, however this list is not exhaustive.

Help for those with side hustles

It’s gone down well with our audiences, and if you feel it may appeal to yours then please consider sharing it with your own networks, to help more people understand when they may need to pay tax on extra income.