Guides

135 plain-English guides to UK tax, each with a named author and links to its official sources.

Page 2 of 7 · newest first

Company Car Tax on Electric Cars 2026/27: BiK Rates to 2030

Electric company cars are taxed on 4% of list price in 2026/27, rising to 5%, 7% and 9% by 2029/30. Here are the full BiK rates, hybrid bands and what each one costs at 20%, 40% and Scottish rates.

By Damon Smith · 24 Sept 2026

Property

Rent a Room Scheme: Earn £7,500 Tax-Free From a Lodger

The rent a room scheme gives you £7,500 of tax-free income from letting furnished space in your own home. Here is who qualifies, how the £3,750 split works with a partner, and when claiming real expenses beats the relief.

By Peter Cunniffe · 24 Sept 2026

Self-Employed

Business Asset Disposal Relief 2026/27: The 18% Rate and Who Qualifies

Business Asset Disposal Relief now charges 18% on up to £1m of qualifying lifetime gains. Here is who qualifies, what the rise from 10% to 18% costs, and how the arithmetic works on a real sale.

By David Obeng · 24 Sept 2026

Property

Private Residence Relief: The 9-Month and 6-Year Rules Explained

Private residence relief can wipe out the Capital Gains Tax on your home — but only for the months that qualify. Here is how the final 9-month rule works, what the so-called 6-year rule really means in the UK, and how to apportion a gain when you have let the property out.

By Peter Cunniffe · 24 Sept 2026

Income Tax

Tax on Redundancy Pay: The £30,000 Rule and Paying Less on the Rest

Genuine redundancy compensation is tax-free up to £30,000 — but notice pay, holiday pay and bonuses are taxed in full. Here is how the £30,000 rule works, and the pension decision that can wipe out the tax on the rest.

By Damon Smith · 24 Sept 2026

Savings & ISAs

Tax on Savings Interest From April 2027: The New 22%, 42% and 47% Rates

From 6 April 2027 savings interest is taxed 2 percentage points higher than other income: 22%, 42% and 47%. Here is what changes, what stays the same, and the arithmetic on your own interest.

By Maria Moisei · 24 Sept 2026

Property

Tax on Rental Income From April 2027: The New Property Rates Explained

From 6 April 2027 rental profits are set to be taxed at 22%, 42% and 47% instead of 20%, 40% and 45%. Here is what the new property income rates mean in pounds, including how they collide with the Section 24 mortgage interest restriction.

By Peter Cunniffe · 24 Sept 2026

Self Assessment

How to Fill In a Self Assessment Tax Return: Step by Step for 2025/26

A plain-English walkthrough of the online Self Assessment tax return for 2025/26 — what to gather first, how to tailor each section, and the mistakes that cost people money.

By Mercy Oyelowo · 24 Sept 2026

Pensions

Pension Carry Forward: Using 3 Years of Unused Allowance in One Go

Carry forward lets you mop up unused pension annual allowance from the three previous tax years, potentially putting up to £240,000 into a pension in one go. Here are the rules, the order the years are used, and the taper trap that catches high earners.

By Maria Moisei · 24 Sept 2026

Benefits

Winter Fuel Payment 2026: Who Has It Taken Back Through Tax

Everyone over State Pension age gets a Winter Fuel Payment again, but anyone with taxable income above £35,000 has it taken back by HMRC. Here is exactly how the clawback works through your tax code or tax return.

By Maria Moisei · 24 Sept 2026

Income Tax

Gift Aid Explained: How Higher-Rate Taxpayers Claim the Extra

Gift Aid adds 25% to your donation at no cost to you — but if you pay tax above the basic rate, there is a second slice of relief you have to claim yourself. Here is how it works, and how to claim it.

By Maria Moisei · 24 Sept 2026

Self Assessment

Do I Need to File a Tax Return? The Self Assessment Rules for 2026

A plain-English checklist of who must file a Self Assessment return for 2026/27 — including the £1,000 side income test, the Child Benefit charge, and why a £150,000 salary is no longer a trigger on its own.

By Mercy Oyelowo · 24 Sept 2026

Self Assessment

HMRC Personal Tax Account: What You Can Check, Claim and Fix

The HMRC personal tax account is where you check your tax code, pay records, National Insurance and State Pension forecast — and where most refunds and reliefs are claimed. Here's what you can actually do in it.

By Laura Michelle Davis · 24 Sept 2026

Savings & ISAs

Stocks and Shares ISA Tax: What's Tax-Free and What Changes in 2027

Gains, dividends and interest inside a stocks and shares ISA are free of Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax, and you never declare them to HMRC. Here is what that is worth in pounds, and how the April 2027 cash ISA change affects investors.

By Maria Moisei · 24 Sept 2026

Property

Council Tax Single Person Discount: 25% Off and How to Claim It

If you are the only adult living in your home, you are entitled to a 25% council tax discount. Here is who counts as an adult, which residents are ignored, how to claim and how far back a claim can be backdated.

By Maria Moisei · 24 Sept 2026

Income Tax

Student Loan Repayment Thresholds 2026/27 for Every Plan

Every student loan repayment threshold in one place, with the 9% and 6% rates, worked monthly figures, and the rules for two jobs and self-employment.

By Maria Moisei · 24 Sept 2026

Income Tax

Car Tax Bands 2026/27: VED Rates for Every Car, Including EVs

How car tax bands work in 2026/27 — first-year rates by CO2 emissions, the flat standard rate from year two, the expensive car supplement and why electric cars now pay VED too.

By Damon Smith · 24 Sept 2026

Self-Employed

How to Register as a Sole Trader With HMRC (and Get Your UTR)

Registering as a sole trader is free and done online with HMRC. Here's exactly what you need, how long your UTR takes to arrive, and the deadline you cannot miss.

By Mercy Oyelowo · 24 Sept 2026

Income Tax

Tax Code D0: Why Your Second Job Is Taxed at 40%

Tax code D0 means every pound from that job or pension is taxed at the higher rate, with no Personal Allowance and no basic-rate band. Here's when that is correct, when it quietly overtaxes you, and how D0 compares with BR.

By Damon Smith · 24 Sept 2026

Inheritance Tax

Gifting Money to Children: The £3,000 Rule and Gifts Out of Normal Income

Giving money to your children is not taxed when you hand it over, but it can still affect Inheritance Tax. Here is how the £3,000 annual exemption, small gifts, wedding gifts, gifts out of normal income and the seven-year rule fit together.

By Laura Michelle Davis · 24 Sept 2026

Deadlines, rate changes and what to claim

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