HMRC defers tax deadline for millions of self-employed people

The coronavirus pandemic means the 31 July payment on account date has been postponed for six months.

For millions of self-employed people, 31 July is a landmark date. It’s the day by which they must make their second payment on account (an estimated semi-annual payment) for the tax year that ended on the previous 5 April.

This year, however, special rules apply, with the government offering an extension to reflect the fact that many self-employed people are struggling financially amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

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David Prosser
Business Columnist

David Prosser is a regular MoneyWeek columnist, writing on small business and entrepreneurship, as well as pensions and other forms of tax-efficient savings and investments. David has been a financial journalist for almost 30 years, specialising initially in personal finance, and then in broader business coverage. He has worked for national newspaper groups including The Financial Times, The Guardian and Observer, Express Newspapers and, most recently, The Independent, where he served for more than three years as business editor.