Asked about UK Payments on Account (POA) for Self Assessment taxpayers.
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Accountant-reviewed. Reviewed by James Power on Jun 3, 2026. Review does not create a client relationship and is not a guarantee for any specific taxpayer or transaction.
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De minimis
SA balance < £1,000 → no POATMA 1970 s.59A
PAYE dominance
>80% of total tax via PAYE → no POATMA 1970 s.59A
1st POA
31 January in tax year (50% of prior year SA balance)TMA 1970
2nd POA
31 July after tax year (50%)TMA 1970
Balancing payment
31 January following tax yearTMA 1970
Items
Class 2 NIC, student loan, postgraduate loan, CGT, marriage allowanceTMA 1970
Rate
BoE base rate + 2.5%TMA 1970 s.86
Type
Simple interest (not compound)TMA 1970
Rendered from the facts database · facts last reviewed Jun 3, 2026. General reference only — confirm with a qualified professional before acting.
Reviewed against the cited tax authorities by James Power on 2026-06-03.
Items flagged for further clarification are tracked separately and excluded here.
This block is generated from verified skill_facts — edit the facts, not the prose.
Section 1 Quick reference table
Quick reference table
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Tax | Income tax advance payments (Payments on Account / POA) |
| Primary legislation | Taxes Management Act 1970 (TMA 1970), Section 59A |
| Supporting legislation | Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) Regulations 2003; Finance Act 2024; Finance (No. 2) Act 2024; TMA 1970 s59B, s86 |
| Authority | HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) |
| Portal | HMRC Self Assessment Online; from 6 April 2026 also MTD ITSA-compatible software for quarterly updates |
| Currency | GBP only |
| Payment schedule | Two POAs: 31 January (in tax year) + 31 July (after tax year); balancing payment 31 January following |
| Threshold | SA balance >= GBP 1,000 AND tax deducted at source < 80% of total tax |
| Excluded items | Class 2 NIC, student loan, postgraduate loan, CGT, marriage allowance |
| Contributor | Open Accountants Community |
| Validated by | Verified by James Power on 2026-06-03 |
| Validation date | Verified by James Power on 2026-06-03 |
The POA structural rules (threshold, 50%-of-prior-year formula, two-instalment schedule, SA303 mechanism, excluded items) are UNCHANGED across all three years. Only the late payment interest rate and the surrounding reporting workflow shift.
Three-year comparison table
| Element | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threshold (de minimis) | Prior year SA balance >= GBP 1,000 | Prior year SA balance >= GBP 1,000 | Prior year SA balance >= GBP 1,000 |
| Threshold (PAYE/deduction test) | < 80% of tax deducted at source | < 80% of tax deducted at source | < 80% of tax deducted at source |
| POA calculation | 50% of prior year SA balance, each instalment | 50% of prior year SA balance, each instalment | 50% of prior year SA balance, each instalment |
| 1st POA due | 31 January 2025 | 31 January 2026 | 31 January 2027 |
| 2nd POA due | 31 July 2025 | 31 July 2026 | 31 July 2027 |
| Balancing payment due | 31 January 2026 | 31 January 2027 | 31 January 2028 |
| Late payment interest rate | HMRC Bank Rate + 4 pp (approx. 7.75% late 2024 / 2025) | HMRC Bank Rate + 4 pp (track Bank Rate movements) | HMRC Bank Rate + 4 pp (track Bank Rate movements) |
| SA303 (claim to reduce) | Available; standard process | Available; standard process | Available; standard process |
| MTD ITSA quarterly reporting | Not in scope (most clients) | Not in scope (most clients) | MANDATORY from 6 April 2026 for qualifying SE/property income (does NOT replace POA) |
| Annual reconciliation | SA tax return | SA tax return | SA tax return / Final Declaration under MTD ITSA |
Note on the 4 pp surcharge. Finance (No. 2) Act 2024 increased the late payment interest add-on from 2.5 pp to 4 pp from 31 January late onwards (operative for sums overdue from the standard 2024-25 cycle and forward). All worked examples in this version use Bank Rate + 4 pp.
Payment schedule summary (illustrative for 2025-26 tax year)
| Payment | Due date | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1st POA | 31 January 2026 | 50% of 2024-25 SA balance |
| 2nd POA | 31 July 2026 | 50% of 2024-25 SA balance |
| Balancing payment | 31 January 2027 | Actual 2025-26 liability minus POAs paid |
Conservative defaults
| Ambiguity | Default |
|---|---|
| SA balance uncertain | Pay full POA -- do not reduce without SA303 |
| Prior year return not yet filed | Use last known SA balance; flag for reviewer |
| CGT included in SA balance | Exclude CGT before computing POA |
| Student loan included | Exclude before computing POA |
| HMRC coding out unclear | Verify coded amount removed from SA balance |
| MTD ITSA from April 2026 | Confirm scope and software; POA cycle still applies in parallel |
Minimum viable -- prior year Self Assessment tax return showing total tax/Class 4 NIC liability, tax deducted at source, and any excluded items.
Recommended -- the HMRC statement or tax calculation showing the SA balance, any SA303 filing history, current year income expectations.
Ideal -- the full SA302 tax calculation from HMRC, prior year payment history, any coding adjustment letters, and (from April 2026) the MTD ITSA quarterly update submissions to date.
This is the deterministic pre-classifier for bank statement transactions. When a debit matches a pattern below, classify it as a POA payment.
HMRC Self Assessment debits table
| Pattern | Treatment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HMRC, HM REVENUE, HMRC SELF ASSESSMENT | POA payment | Match with January/July timing |
| HMRC CUMBERNAULD, HMRC SHIPLEY | POA payment | HMRC processing centres |
| SELF ASSESSMENT, SA PAYMENT | POA payment | Explicit description |
| PAYMENT ON ACCOUNT, POA | POA payment | Self-identified |
Timing-based identification table
| Debit date range | Likely payment | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| 15 January -- 5 February | 1st POA + prior year balancing payment | High if payee is HMRC |
| 15 July -- 5 August | 2nd POA | High if payee is HMRC |
| Any other date to HMRC SA | Late payment, voluntary payment, or balancing | Flag for reviewer |
Related but NOT POA payments table
| Pattern | Treatment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HMRC VAT | EXCLUDE from POA | VAT payment |
| HMRC PAYE, HMRC RTI | EXCLUDE from POA | Employer PAYE payment |
| HMRC NIC, CLASS 2 | EXCLUDE from POA | NIC direct collection |
| STUDENT LOAN, SLC | EXCLUDE from POA | Student loan repayment |
| HMRC CGT, CAPITAL GAINS | EXCLUDE from POA | CGT payment (separate regime) |
| HMRC PENALTY, HMRC INTEREST | EXCLUDE from POA | Penalty/interest charge |
31 January is a critical date where multiple payments coincide. A single large HMRC debit on or near 31 January likely includes:
If the total debit is substantially larger than one POA instalment, it is likely the combined payment. Flag for reviewer to split.
Input: Prior year SA balance = GBP 6,000. No excluded items.
Computation: Each POA = GBP 6,000 / 2 = GBP 3,000.
Example 1 payment table
| Payment | Due date | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1st POA | 31 January 2025 | GBP 3,000 |
| 2nd POA | 31 July 2025 | GBP 3,000 |
Input: Prior year SA balance = GBP 850.
Output: Below GBP 1,000 threshold. No POAs required. Full GBP 850 due as balancing payment on 31 January following the tax year.
Input: Total tax liability = GBP 20,000. PAYE/tax deducted at source = GBP 17,000. SA balance = GBP 3,000.
Computation: Deducted-at-source % = 17,000 / 20,000 = 85% > 80%. No POA required despite SA balance exceeding GBP 1,000.
Input: Prior year SA: income tax via SA = GBP 4,000, CGT = GBP 3,000, Class 2 NIC = GBP 179.40, student loan = GBP 1,200. Total SA balance = GBP 8,379.40.
Computation: POA basis = GBP 4,000 only (CGT, Class 2, student loan excluded). Each POA = GBP 2,000.
Input: Standard POA = GBP 5,000 each. Client expects current year SA balance = GBP 3,000. SA303 filed.
Output: Reduced POA = GBP 1,500 each. If actual liability = GBP 6,000, HMRC charges interest on GBP 3,500 shortfall per instalment from original due dates.
Input: 1st POA of GBP 3,000 due 31 January 2026. Paid 15 April 2026 (74 days late). HMRC Bank Rate = 3.75% (illustrative).
Computation: Interest rate = 3.75% + 4.00% = 7.75%. Interest = GBP 3,000 x 7.75% / 365 x 74 = GBP 47.12.
Client profile: Self-employed software contractor. No PAYE income. No CGT, no student loan, no Class 2 NIC adjustments in scope. Prior year (2023-24) SA balance fell below GBP 1,000, so 2024-25 had NO opening POAs.
Step A -- Tax year 2024-25 (filed January 2026).
The client's 2024-25 SA return shows an SA balance of GBP 12,000 (income tax + Class 4 NIC). No POAs were due in advance (because 2023-24 was below threshold).
Payments due on the 31 January 2026 deadline:
Step A payment table
| Payment | Due date | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 balancing payment | 31 January 2026 | GBP 12,000 |
| 1st POA for 2025-26 | 31 January 2026 | GBP 6,000 |
| 2nd POA for 2025-26 | 31 July 2026 | GBP 6,000 |
Step B -- Tax year 2025-26 (POAs of GBP 6,000 each already in motion).
By 31 July 2026 the client has paid GBP 12,000 in POAs (GBP 6,000 + GBP 6,000) toward the 2025-26 liability.
Three scenarios on the actual 2025-26 liability:
Scenario B1 -- Liability exactly matches. Actual 2025-26 SA balance = GBP 12,000.
Scenario B2 -- Liability higher. Actual 2025-26 SA balance = GBP 14,000.
Scenario B3 -- Liability lower (refund position). Actual 2025-26 SA balance = GBP 8,000.
Step C -- Tax year 2026-27 (the first year inside MTD ITSA scope, see Section 4.1).
Assume Scenario B1 (POAs of GBP 6,000 each for 2026-27). The client is in MTD ITSA from 6 April 2026 and submits quarterly updates through compatible software, but the POA cash flow is unchanged:
Step C event table
| Date | Event | Cash impact |
|---|---|---|
| 31 January 2027 | 1st POA 2026-27 + (any) 2025-26 balancing | GBP 6,000 (B1) |
| 5 August 2026 | Q1 MTD ITSA quarterly update due | No tax payment -- reporting only |
| 5 November 2026 | Q2 MTD ITSA quarterly update due | No tax payment -- reporting only |
| 5 February 2027 | Q3 MTD ITSA quarterly update due | No tax payment -- reporting only |
| 5 May 2027 | Q4 MTD ITSA quarterly update due | No tax payment -- reporting only |
| 31 July 2027 | 2nd POA 2026-27 | GBP 6,000 |
| 31 January 2028 | Final Declaration (replaces SA return) + 2026-27 balancing payment + 1st POA 2027-28 | Depends on final 2026-27 liability |
The four quarterly updates are reporting events only -- they do NOT generate new payment dates. POA cash flow continues unchanged.
MTD ITSA does NOT replace or alter the POA regime. Specifically:
Workflow change for the practitioner. The data feeds underpinning the SA balance now flow through MTD-compatible software in quarterly batches. The POA worksheet (the part this skill produces) consumes the same SA balance figure from the prior year's Final Declaration that it previously consumed from the prior year SA return.
Common client misconception to correct. Clients in MTD ITSA from April 2026 often assume the quarterly updates settle their tax. They do not. The 31 January / 31 July POA pattern continues, and the Final Declaration is still required.
Late payment interest table
| Element | Rule |
|---|---|
| Rate | HMRC Bank Rate + 4 percentage points (per Finance (No. 2) Act 2024 from 31 January late onwards). Approx. 7.75% as at late 2025 -- confirm current Bank Rate. |
| Runs from | Due date of the POA (31 Jan or 31 Jul) |
| Runs until | Date of payment |
| Compounding | Simple interest (not compound) |
| Tax deductibility | NOT tax deductible |
There is no separate penalty for late POA payment -- only interest. A surcharge may apply if the balancing payment is more than 30 days late under the wider late payment penalty regime.
EC1 -- First year of Self Assessment. No prior year return. No POAs in the first year. All tax due as a single balancing payment. POAs begin from the second year.
EC2 -- SA303 reduction to zero, then income increases. Balancing payment of full amount due 31 January. HMRC charges interest on the shortfall from each original POA due date.
EC3 -- Employment plus self-employment. GBP 50,000 PAYE + GBP 15,000 SE. Total tax GBP 18,000, PAYE GBP 14,000. PAYE% = 77.8% < 80%. POAs apply. SA balance = GBP 4,000, each POA = GBP 2,000.
EC4 -- Prior year SA balance just below GBP 1,000. GBP 980. No POAs required. Full amount due as balancing payment.
EC5 -- Client stops trading mid-year. May file SA303 to reduce. Overpayment refunded with balancing payment.
EC6 -- Prior year included one-off capital gain. CGT excluded from POA calculation. If HMRC set POAs at the higher amount, file SA303 to correct.
EC7 -- Student loan pushed SA balance above GBP 1,000. Student loan excluded. SA balance for POA test = income tax via SA only. If that is below GBP 1,000, no POAs.
EC8 -- 31 January falls on a weekend. Deadline moves to next working day. No interest for the weekend days.
EC9 -- HMRC amendment reduces prior year liability. HMRC should adjust POAs automatically. If not, file SA303 referencing the amendment.
EC10 -- Marriage allowance transfer. Reduces transferor's tax, increases recipient's. POAs based on NET SA balance after marriage allowance.
EC11 -- Client enters MTD ITSA from 6 April 2026 mid-POA-cycle. Existing 2025-26 POAs (due 31 Jan 2026 and 31 July 2026) are unchanged. From 6 April 2026 the client begins quarterly updates for the 2026-27 tax year. The 31 January 2027 cash event still combines the 2025-26 balancing payment (computed via Final Declaration or SA100 depending on scope) with the 1st POA for 2026-27.
Before delivering output, verify:
Input: Prior year SA balance = GBP 6,000. Expected: Each POA = GBP 3,000. 1st due 31 Jan, 2nd due 31 Jul.
Input: Prior year SA balance = GBP 850. Expected: No POA. Full GBP 850 due as balancing payment.
Input: Total tax = GBP 20,000. PAYE = GBP 17,000. SA balance = GBP 3,000. Expected: PAYE% = 85% > 80%. No POA required.
Input: Income tax via SA = GBP 4,000, CGT = GBP 3,000, Class 2 = GBP 179.40, student loan = GBP 1,200. Expected: POA basis = GBP 4,000. Each POA = GBP 2,000.
Input: Standard POA = GBP 5,000 each. Estimated current year = GBP 3,000. SA303 filed. Expected: Reduced POA = GBP 1,500 each. Interest risk flagged.
Input: POAs paid GBP 4,000 + GBP 4,000. Actual SA balance = GBP 6,500. Expected: Overpayment = GBP 1,500. HMRC refunds or sets off.
Input: POA GBP 3,000 due 31 Jan 2026. Paid 15 Apr 2026 (74 days). Bank Rate 3.75%. Expected: Rate = 7.75%. Interest = GBP 3,000 x 7.75% / 365 x 74 = GBP 47.12.
Input: 2024-25 SA balance = GBP 12,000; 2025-26 actual = GBP 12,000; 2026-27 actual = GBP 12,000. No prior POAs entering 2024-25. Expected:
Input: Client in MTD ITSA from 6 April 2026 with prior year SA balance = GBP 10,000. Expected: 1st POA for 2026-27 = GBP 5,000 due 31 Jan 2027; 2nd POA = GBP 5,000 due 31 Jul 2027; quarterly updates do not generate tax payments.
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Review status
Accountant-reviewed
Reviewed by a named licensed practitioner against the stated sources, as general reference material.
Accountant-reviewed · Guide version 30
Reviewed by James Power · 3 June 2026
A named accountant reviewed this complete Guide version within the stated scope. It is not a guarantee.
View review record →Other United Kingdom computations in the OpenAccountants Tax Library.
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