Your 2026 compliance checklist: get ahead before the break

A roundup of key dates in Q1 2026 and reminders before the holidays.

As the year winds down and thoughts shift to well-deserved downtime, it’s tempting to press pause on anything financial. But with several key compliance deadlines looming early in the new year, a small amount of preparation now can save you stress, and costly penalties, when you return in January.

Here’s your essential rundown of the dates, tasks and reminders owner-managed businesses should sort before switching on the out-of-office.

1. 31 January 2026: self-assessment deadline
Millions of individuals, including directors, landlords and sole traders, must submit their 2024/25 tax return and pay any tax due by midnight.

If you haven’t already pulled your information together, now is the time. Leaving this until January is a recipe for last-minute issues, missing documents, and HMRC queues.

If Moore handles your Self-Assessment, ensure you’ve shared all outstanding records before the break so we can complete your filing in good time.

2. 31 January 2026: class 2 national insurance payments
Following the 2023 reforms, Class 2 NI remains relevant for some self-employed individuals. If you’re unsure whether this applies to you, speak to your adviser before the holiday shutdown, it’s better to confirm now than face unexpected liabilities later.

3. 31 January 2026: basis period reform fully in effect
For unincorporated businesses, the transition to the tax-year basis is now complete, with any overlap relief needing to have been used up in the 2023/24 return.

If your accounting year doesn’t align with the tax year, ensure you have correctly treated your income in your 2024/25 return. A pre-holiday conversation with us could help reduce surprises.

4. 7 February 2026: VAT returns and payments due
For VAT-registered businesses on monthly, quarterly or annual filings ending 31 December 2025, returns and payments are due by 7 February 2026.

Updating records now so they are ready for your finance team, or your outsourced provider, will enable them to process the return swiftly and efficiently when everyone returns from the break.
If you’re considering outsourcing VAT, cloud bookkeeping or your full finance function in 2026, Moore’s digital-first approach can streamline this completely.

5. 19–22 January 2026: PAYE & CIS deadlines
If you run payroll in-house, ensure December submissions have been filed and payment dates are scheduled. Holiday staffing often adds complexity, so review:

• The December Full Payment Submission (FPS)
• Employer payment deadlines (19th for post, 22nd for electronic)
• Any Construction Industry Scheme payments required
  
  If payroll has become a pressure point, or you are uncertain if you are dealing with all elements correctly, our payroll specialists can take this off your hands for 2026.

6. Year-end housekeeping before you log off
A few final checks can make January significantly smoother:

• Reconcile bank accounts, credit cards and petty cash
• Review debtor and creditor lists, chasing anything long outstanding for debtors and ensuring any creditor payment deadlines are met
• Upload all invoices, receipts and expenses to your accounting system
• Back up your financial data if you’re not using a cloud platform
• Confirm any company secretarial changes (director appointments, share movements, PSC updates), as filings may be due early in the new year
  If you’re planning system changes, restructuring, or outsourcing in 2026, starting discussions now can secure capacity ahead of the January rush.

7. Plan ahead for the 2026 budget
With the first full Reeves Budget expected in March 2026, many OMBs are already reviewing their tax strategy, remuneration planning and investment timing.

Setting aside time in January to revisit forecasts will put you ahead of the curve, and ready to act when new measures are announced.

Final thought: a little preparation goes a long way

Getting ahead of your compliance workload before the holidays means you return refreshed, not rushed.
If you’d like support with Self-Assessment, VAT, payroll, outsourced finance, or strategic year-ahead planning, the Moore team is here to help you start 2026 with clarity and confidence.