Key money dates for 2026
We run through the key dates and big money changes coming up in 2026 that could affect your financial health
There are a number of key money dates coming up in 2026 that could have an impact on your finances.
From important Bank of England (BoE) meetings and Premium Bonds prize draws, to end of tax year moves, some could leave you better, or worse, off.
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JANUARY
1 January - new energy price cap
Ofgem’s new energy price cap will come into effect on New Year’s day. The regulator sets a new price cap every three months to reflect wholesale costs. The cap only applies to households on default tariffs, not those on fixed tariffs.
Ofgem confirmed the energy price cap will rise by 0.2% on 1 January, which will see the average household on a dual-fuel tariff paying by direct debit pay £1,758 per year in the first three months of the year. Your actual bill will depend on how much energy you use as the cap is an upper limit on unit prices, not a cap on bills.
1 January - new rules for crypto users
From 1 January, if you are buying, selling or exchanging cryptocurrency, you will have to share your personal details with the service provider you use or risk paying a penalty of up to £300.
The move is designed to ensure people pay the relevant tax on crypto assets, including capital gains tax.
2 January - Premium Bond prize draw date
The jackpot winners for the first Premium Bonds prize draw of the year will be revealed on 2 January. This is the first working day of the month as 1 January is a bank holiday.
NS&I publishes the winners of any high value prizes on its website in the ‘early hours’ of the first working day of the month.
21 January - CPI inflation data
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) will release its monthly data on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) measure of inflation for December 2025.
31 January - self-assessment tax deadline
The online self-assessment tax return deadline is 31 January. It is also the deadline to pay any tax owed on that return.
Self-employed workers also have to make a payment on account – an advance payment towards your next tax bill. The first of these is due on 31 January.
Payments to HMRC can take a few days, so it’s worth getting your self-assessment return in several days before 31 January.
Fail to get it on time and you may have to pay a late filing penalty plus additional penalties if you submit your tax return later than three months after the deadline.
FEBRUARY
1 February – Alcohol Duty uprated
Alcohol duty will be uprated in line with the Retail Price Index (RPI) measure of inflation at 3.66%.
2 February - Premium Bond draw date
The winners of the February prize draw will be announced on 2 February.
5 February - first MPC meeting of the year
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee meets for the first time in 2026 on 5 February to decide whether the base rate should be changed.
It will also release its February Monetary Policy Report, laying out its projections for inflation and analysis of the economy.
18 February - CPI inflation data
CPI inflation data for January will be published by the ONS.
25 February – Ofgem to announce energy price cap for April 2026
The regulator will announce the price cap for April-July by 25 February.
MARCH
The chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her second Autumn Budget statement in November 2025, but there is normally another fiscal statement in the spring too (usually in March).
That said, it’s not currently clear whether there will be one this March as the Treasury has said Reeves is “committed to one major fiscal event every year”.
1 March - Rail fares remain frozen
Regulated rail fares will remain frozen for the first time in 30 years. They are usually hiked each year in line with the RPI measure of inflation. Though other costs, such as broadband and mobile, could rise.
2 March – Premium Bond draw date
The third Premium Bonds draw of the year will take place on 2 March.
2 March – Free Wills Month
Free Wills Month starts on 2 March, offering free wills to members of the public aged 55 and over through solicitors and charities.
19 March - MPC meeting
The second Bank of England MPC meeting of the year will take place on 19 March.
25 March - CPI inflation data
Inflation data for February will be published by the ONS.
31 March - Winter Fuel Payment claim deadline
Most eligible pensioners are paid the Winter Fuel Payment automatically, but some have to claim, including those who have not previously received one of the up to £300 payments.
The deadline to make a claim for this winter’s payment is 31 March.
APRIL
1 April – Premium Bond draw date
The Premium Bonds prize draw for April will happen on 1 April.
1 April - new energy price cap
The price cap for April, May and June will take effect on 1 April. Ofgem will announce what the price cap will be for this period by 25 February.
On 26 November, energy consultancy Cornwall Insight forecast the April price cap to fall to £1,675 per year in the second quarter of the year, a fall of £83 on the January price cap.
1 April - changes to household bills
A host of household bills typically rise in April each year to coincide with the start of the new financial year.
Broadband, mobile phone and the TV licence will rise. TV licence fees will rise in line with inflation, although the price for 2026 is not yet confirmed.
A spokesperson for the Department of Culture, Media and Sports told MoneyWeek in December: “No final decision has yet been made on the exact level of next year's licence fee. We will set this out in due course.”
Your council tax could also rise on 1 April. Councils with social care duties can raise this by up to 4.99% a year, while others can increase it by 2.99%. A 2.99% rise for a band D property would see yearly payments rise from £2,280 now to roughly £2,348 in April.
1 April - National Living Wage and minimum wage rise
The National Living Wage will rise by 4.1% to £12.71 from 1 April for workers aged 21 and over.
The national minimum wage will go up by 8.5% to £10.85 an hour for workers aged 18 to 20. Those aged 16 to 17 and apprentices will see their pay rise by 6% to £8 an hour.
1 April - NHS prescription charges to be frozen
Alongside rail fares, NHS prescription charges will also be frozen from 1 April. The cost of a single prescription will stay at £9.90.
1 April - business rates revaluation takes effect
Business rates bills will be uprated to reflect changes in property values.
5 April - end of tax year
The 2025/26 tax year ends on 5 April. If you have an unused ISA allowance, you have until this date to utilise it. The full £20,000 will need to have been paid into your accounts by this date. This deadline also applies to junior ISAs, which come with a separate annual allowance of £9,000 per tax year.
Remember, the ISA allowance cannot be rolled over into the next tax year and you lose it at the start of the new tax year.
Anyone wanting to pay extra into their pension may wish to do this before the tax year ends, although you can roll any unused allowance forward into future tax years.
Most people can contribute up to £60,000 to their pension pot each tax year and benefit from tax relief. However, for those with an annual income of more than £200,000 (including salary and income from savings and investments) it reduces to an amount between £10,000 and £60,000. This is called the tapered annual allowance.
6 April - state pension rises
The 2026/27 tax year starts on 6 April, and increases to various state benefits will kick in on this date, including the state pension.
It will rise by 4.8%, based on average earnings, meaning someone on the full new state pension will see their weekly payments rise from £230.25 to £241.30.
6 April - shopping pricing rules change
New rules come into effect covering how product prices must be displayed in shops. Retailers will have to display the selling price and unit price which should make it easier for shoppers to make an informed choice on what to buy.
6 April - tax thresholds freeze
Income tax thresholds will remain frozen for another financial year (they are frozen until 2031). The freeze will see people pay more in income tax as their wages rise but tax thresholds don’t.
6 April - dividend tax rise
The amount of tax you’ll pay on dividends above your dividend allowance will rise from 6 April. It will increase from 8.75% to 10.75% for basic rate taxpayers and 33.75% to 35.75% for higher rate taxpayers.
6 April - homeworking tax relief abolished
Remote workers who don’t get a payment from their employer to cover homeworking costs will no longer get tax relief on their costs. It will cost a basic rate taxpayers £62.40 a year and higher rate taxpayers £124.80 a year.
22 April - CPI inflation data
The ONS will publish its CPI inflation data for the month of March.
30 April – MPC meeting
The third Bank of England MPC meeting of the year will take place on 30 April.
MAY
1 May – Premium Bonds prize draw
The Premium Bonds prize draw for May will happen on 1 May.
20 May - CPI inflation data
The ONS will publish the latest CPI data for the month of April.
27 May - Ofgem to announce energy price cap for July 2026
The regulator will confirm what the price cap will be for July 2026 by 27 May.
31 May - deadline for issuing P60s
The deadline for employers to provide a P60 for the previous tax year is 31 May. This means most employees can submit their tax return on or after this date.
JUNE
1 June – Premium Bonds prize draw
The Premium Bonds prize draw for June will happen on 1 June.
17 June - CPI inflation data
The ONS will put out its latest data on the CPI measure of inflation, for the month of May.
18 June – MPC meeting
The fourth Bank of England MPC meeting of the year will take place on 18 June.
JULY
1 July – new energy price cap takes effect
The third energy price cap of the year will take effect on 1 July. Ofgem will confirm what it is by 27 May.
1 July – Premium Bonds prize draw
The Premium Bonds prize draw for July will happen on 1 July.
15 July - new regulation for Buy Now Pay Later
New Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulation will come into effect meaning BNPL providers will have to better inform customers of any potential dangers. This will include checking consumers can afford repayments, informing them of the main consequences of missing payments and offering them support if they fall into financial difficulty.
22 July - CPI inflation data
The ONS’ latest monthly CPI inflation data will be published, for the month of June.
30 July – MPC meeting
The fifth Bank of England MPC meeting of the year will take place on 30 July.
31 July – payment on account deadline
The second payment on account deadline for the self-employed lands on 31 July.
AUGUST
3 August - Premium Bonds prize draw
The Premium Bonds prize draw for August will happen on 3 August.
19 August - CPI inflation data
The ONS will publish CPI inflation data for the month of July.
26 August - Ofgem to announce energy price cap for October 2026
Ofgem will confirm what the energy price cap will be for the period October to December by 26 August.
31 August - temporary cut to fuel duty ends
The temporary 5p cut to fuel duty, introduced in 2022, will end. The Budget extended it to this date but it will be gradually unwound until it disappears in March 2027.
SEPTEMBER
1 September – Premium Bonds prize draw
The Premium Bonds prize draw for September will happen on 1 September.
15 September - Pension Awareness Day
The annual event aims to raise awareness about the importance of pensions and retirement planning.
16 September - CPI inflation data
The ONS will publish CPI inflation data for the month of August.
17 September – MPC meeting
The Bank of England’s MPC will meet for the sixth time in 2026 on 17 September.
OCTOBER
1 October – Premium Bonds prize draw
The Premium Bonds prize draw for October will happen on 1 October.
1 October – new energy price cap comes in
The fourth energy price cap of the year will take effect on 1 October. Ofgem will confirm what it is on 26 August.
1 October - new tax on vaping
A new duty will be charged on vaping products at £2.20 per 10ml of vaping liquid, in a bid to drive down usage. At the same time there will also be a rise in tobacco duty.
5 October – deadline to register for self-assessment
You have until 5 October each year to tell HMRC if you want to submit a self-assessment tax return for the previous year.
If you register after this date, HMRC will send you a letter or email with a different deadline to send your tax return.
21 October – CPI inflation data
The ONS figures published in October for September are arguably the most important.
These are used to calculate how much benefits and sometimes the state pension will rise by the following April.
31 October – deadline to file paper self-assessment tax return
October/November
The Autumn Budget usually takes place in October or November each year. In 2024 the Budget was held on 30 October and in 2025 it took place on 26 November.
NOVEMBER
2 November – Premium Bonds prize draw
The Premium Bonds prize draw for November is 2 November.
5 November – MPC meeting
The Bank of England’s MPC will meet on 5 November to review the base rate.
18 November - CPI inflation data
The ONS will publish CPI inflation data for October.
26 November - tobacco duty rises
Duty rates on all tobacco products will increase by RPI inflation plus two percentage points. This increase is in addition to the one-off rise in October.
DECEMBER
1 December – Premium Bonds prize draw
The Premium Bonds prize draw for December will take place on 1 December.
16 December - CPI inflation data
The ONS will publish its monthly CPI inflation data, for the month of November.
17 December - MPC meeting
The Bank of England’s MPC will meet for the eighth and final time in 2026 on 17 December to review the base rate.
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