The deadlines for paying your tax bill are:

• 31 January - for any tax you owe for the previous tax year (known as a balancing payment (external link)) and your first payment on account (external link) 
• 31 July for your second payment on account (external link) 

If you prefer to pay regularly throughout the year, you can use a budget payment plan (external link).

You can get help if you cannot pay your tax bill on time (external link).

Ways to pay  

Make sure you pay HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) by the deadline. You will be charged interest and may have to pay a penalty (external link) if your payment is late. 

The time you need to allow depends on how you pay. 

You can no longer pay at the Post Office. 

Same or next day  

• online or telephone banking (external link) (Faster Payments) 
• CHAPS (external link) 
• by debit or corporate credit card online (external link) 
• at your bank or building society (external link) 

You need a paying-in slip from HMRC to pay at a bank or building society.

Three working days 

• Bacs (external link) 
• Direct Debit (external link) (if you have set one up with HMRC before) 
• by cheque through the post (external link) 

Five working days 

Direct Debit (external link) (if you have not set one up with HMRC before) 

If the deadline falls on a weekend or bank holiday, make sure your payment reaches HMRC on the last working day before (unless you are paying by faster payments (external link) or by debit or credit card (external link)

Problems with payment services

Online payment services may be slow during busy times. Check if there are any current problems or times they are not available (external link)