Tax guides
Clear, practical guides to UK tax, pay and personal finance — each one links to the calculators that do the maths for you.
MTD Sign-Up Service Down 10 to 13 July: Act Before the 7 August Deadline
HMRC is taking its Making Tax Digital sign-up services offline from 5pm on Friday 10 July until 9am on Monday 13 July 2026. With the first quarterly update due 7 August, anyone mandated from April who has not signed up needs to plan around the outage.
Laura Michelle Davis · 7 Jul 2026
£1.6 Billion in Child Trust Fund Unclaimed Savings: How to Find Yours
More than 750,000 young people have unclaimed Child Trust Fund accounts worth £2,200 on average. A new government taskforce launched on 29 June 2026 is pushing to reunite them with their money. Here is everything you need to know.
TaxFly Admin · 3 Jul 2026
Kids Meals Tax Cut 2026: VAT Slashed to 5% on Children's Meals and Days Out
The Great British Summer Savings scheme went live on 25 June 2026, cutting VAT from 20% to 5% on children's restaurant meals and family days out. Here's exactly what's covered, how much you save, and which businesses are passing it on.
TaxFly Admin · 1 Jul 2026
Government Launches Consultation on New First Time Buyer ISA
The UK government launched a consultation on 23 June 2026 on a new First Time Buyer ISA designed to replace the Lifetime ISA. Here is what we know so far and what it means for your savings plans.
TaxFly Admin · 29 Jun 2026
Born 2002-2011? You Could Have £2,000+ in Forgotten Cash
Around hundreds of thousands of young adults have an unclaimed Child Trust Fund worth £2,000+ on average. Here is how to find yours free in about 3 weeks - and claim what is yours.
Laura Michelle Davis · 27 Jun 2026
Dividend Tax Rise 2026/27: New 10.75% and 35.75% Rates Explained
From 6 April 2026 the basic dividend rate rose from 8.75% to 10.75% and the higher rate from 33.75% to 35.75%. The £500 tax-free allowance and the 39.35% additional rate are unchanged. Most people with dividends outside an ISA will pay more - here is exactly how much, with real examples, and how to reduce it.
Laura Michelle Davis · 26 Jun 2026
Why Pensioners Are Getting Surprise HMRC Tax Bills in 2026
Rising State Pension, a frozen £12,570 allowance and higher savings rates mean many retirees now owe tax. Why it happens and what to do.
TaxFly Admin · 26 Jun 2026
Need tax help? Gen Zs wish they had learnt basics about tax
Summer jobseekers urged to use the HMRC app to demystify tax and money matters
Laura Michelle Davis · 25 Jun 2026
Stealth Tax: Frozen Tax Thresholds to 2031 and Fiscal Drag Explained
Frozen tax thresholds to 2031 will drag 5.2m more people into tax. How the "stealth tax" works, what it costs you, and how to fight back.
TaxFly Admin · 24 Jun 2026All guides
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News
17- £1.6 Billion in Child Trust Fund Unclaimed Savings: How to Find Yours
- Capital Gains Tax 2026/27: £3,000 Allowance and 18%/24% Rates
- Claiming Tax Relief on Work Expenses: HMRC's Updated P87 Rules
- Dividend Tax Rise 2026/27: New 10.75% and 35.75% Rates Explained
- Frozen Tax Thresholds to 2031: The Stealth Tax Explained
- Government Launches Consultation on New First Time Buyer ISA
- High Income Child Benefit Charge 2026: The £60,000–£80,000 Trap
- HMRC Mileage Rate Rises to 55p a Mile, Backdated to 6 April 2026
- HMRC Wage Raid Payroll Checks 2026: Who Gets Visited and Why
- ISA Allowance 2026/27: £20,000 Tax-Free and How to Use It
- Kids Meals Tax Cut 2026: VAT Slashed to 5% on Children's Meals and Days Out
- Marriage Allowance 2026: Claim Up to £252 (and Backdate It)
- MTD Sign-Up Service Down 10 to 13 July: Act Before the 7 August Deadline
- National Insurance 2026/27: Employee and Self-Employed Rates
- Stamp Duty 2026: What You Pay and First-Time Buyer Relief
- Tax on Savings Interest 2026/27: The Personal Savings Allowance
- Why More Pensioners Are Getting Surprise Tax Bills in 2026
Credit Cards
5Taxes
18- Autumn Budget 2026: Predictions, Likely Tax Rises and What to Expect
- Capital Gains Tax rates 2026/27: allowance, rates and how to cut your bill
- Dividend Tax 2026/27: Allowance, Rates and How Much You'll Pay
- Dividend Tax Rise 2026: New 10.75% and 35.75% Rates Explained
- Government backs high street with acceleration of cheap import reforms and crackdown on dodgy online sellers
- How to Legally Reduce Your Income Tax in the UK (2026/27)
- Inheritance Tax When the Second Parent Dies: The £1m Rule
- National Insurance Rates 2026/27: How Much You Pay and Why
- Scottish Income Tax vs England: How Much More (or Less) You Pay in 2026/27
- Stealth Tax: Frozen Tax Thresholds to 2031 and Fiscal Drag Explained
- Tax Code 1257L: What It Means and Why You Have It (2026/27)
- Tax Code BR: Why You Have It and What It Costs You
- Tax Gap 2024-25 estimated at 6.4%
- The 60% Tax Trap Explained: How High Earners Lose Their Personal Allowance (and How to Avoid It) - 2026/27
- The Personal Allowance Explained: How the £12,570 Tax-Free Amount Works (2026/27)
- UK Income Tax Rates and Bands 2026/27: A Plain-English Guide
- UK Tax Codes Explained: What Yours Means (2026/27)
- What Is a P45? Every Part Explained and What to Do With It
Benefits
4Savings & ISAs
10- Born 2002-2011? You Could Have £2,000+ in Forgotten Cash
- Cash ISA Limit Cut to £12,000 from April 2027: What It Means for You
- HMRC Is Fining Lifetime ISA Savers: The 25% Withdrawal Trap
- How Many ISAs Can You Have? The 2026/27 Rules Made Simple
- ISA Allowance 2026/27: How to Use Your £20,000 Tax-Free Limit
- ISA Changes 2026/27: Cash ISA Cut, 22% Charge and Transfer Ban
- Lifetime ISA Explained: The 25% Bonus, Rules and Is It Worth It?
- Premium Bonds Explained: Odds, Prizes and Is It Worth It?
- Premium Bonds vs Savings 2026: Which Wins After Tax?
- Tax on Savings Interest: The Personal Savings Allowance Explained (2026/27)
Insurance
1Personal Finance
4Property
4Loans
3Business Finance
9- Director's Loans Explained: S455 Tax and the £10,000 Rule
- Employment Allowance 2026/27: Cut £10,500 Off Employer NI
- How to Pay Corporation Tax: Deadline, Reference and Methods
- Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: The Complete 2026 Guide
- PAYE vs Self-Employed: Which Leaves You Better Off?
- Payrolling Benefits in Kind: What Changes from April 2027
- Salary vs Dividends: How Should a Director Pay Themselves in 2026/27?
- Self Assessment Tax Returns 2026: Deadlines, Penalties and How to File
- Self-Employed Tax: A Beginner's Guide (2026/27)
Tax Guides
3Pensions
8- How Pensions Work in the UK: A Complete Beginner's Guide
- Is the Pension Tax-Free Lump Sum Being Scrapped? The Facts
- Pension Drawdown Explained: Income, Tax and Risks (2026/27)
- Pension Salary Sacrifice: How It Works and How Much You Save
- Pension Tax Relief Explained: How to Get Up to 45% Back (2026/27)
- Pension Tax-Free Lump Sum: How the 25% Rule Works (2026/27)
- State Pension Top-Up: Is Buying Back Missing National Insurance Years Worth It? (2026)
- Why Pensioners Are Getting Surprise HMRC Tax Bills in 2026
Investing
3Mortgages
4Tax, explained without the jargon
UK tax has a reputation for being complicated, and the official guidance isn't always easy to follow. Our guides aim to fix that. Each one takes a single topic — how income tax bands work, what you can claim as a self-employed person, how stamp duty is calculated — and explains it in plain English, with worked examples and links to the calculators that do the maths for you.
The guides are written and reviewed by the TaxFly editorial team and updated when the rules change, so you're reading about the system as it works now, not several years ago. Wherever a guide mentions a figure you can apply to your own situation, you'll find a matching tool: pair our take-home pay guidance with the Take-Home Pay Calculator, or read up on dividends and then try the Dividend Tax Calculator.
Where to start
If you're employed, begin with the basics of income tax and National Insurance. If you work for yourself, the self-employment and Self Assessment guides will save you the most time. Buying or selling property? Start with stamp duty and capital gains. And if you just want the numbers, head straight to our full library of free UK calculators. Everything here is free to read, with no account required.
TaxFly guides are general information, not personal financial or tax advice. For decisions about your own circumstances, speak to a qualified accountant or adviser.
