https://calchub.uk/blog/ Plain-English UK personal finance articles — tax, mortgages, salaries, savings, energy and the headlines that affect your money. en-GB Sun, 24 May 2026 12:26:02 GMT CalcHub.uk https://calchub.uk/blog/self-assessment-after-you-file/ https://calchub.uk/blog/self-assessment-after-you-file/ What happens after you submit your Self Assessment return — refunds, balancing payments, amendments, HMRC enquiries, the SA302 for mortgages, and the 5-year record-keeping rule Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Tax & Finance self-assessmentself-employedtax-year-2025-26 https://calchub.uk/blog/self-assessment-making-tax-digital/ https://calchub.uk/blog/self-assessment-making-tax-digital/ Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD ITSA) starts April 2026 for £50k+ self-employed and landlords. Here's what it means, when it applies to you, the software requirements and how it changes Self Assessment forever. Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Tax & Finance self-assessmentself-employedtax-year-2026-27mtd https://calchub.uk/blog/self-assessment-payments-on-account/ https://calchub.uk/blog/self-assessment-payments-on-account/ How HMRC's payments-on-account system works, why your first January bill is bigger than expected, when to reduce them, and the trap of treating January and July as separate Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Tax & Finance self-assessmentself-employedtax-year-2025-26 https://calchub.uk/blog/self-assessment-capital-gains/ https://calchub.uk/blog/self-assessment-capital-gains/ How to declare capital gains on your Self Assessment. Shares, crypto, second properties, the £3,000 annual exemption, 60-day property reporting, pooling rules and worked examples for 2025/26. Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Tax & Finance self-assessmentcgttax-year-2025-26calc-capital-gains-tax https://calchub.uk/blog/self-assessment-allowable-expenses/ https://calchub.uk/blog/self-assessment-allowable-expenses/ What you can and can't deduct as a sole trader on your Self Assessment. Home office, mileage, phone, subsistence, professional fees, capital allowances and the £1,000 trading allowance — with worked examples. Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Tax & Finance self-assessmentself-employedtax-year-2025-26calc-self-employed-tax https://calchub.uk/blog/self-assessment-declaring-income/ https://calchub.uk/blog/self-assessment-declaring-income/ Part 3 of our Self Assessment series — how to declare employment, self-employed, dividend, rental, foreign, savings, crypto and CGT income on your UK tax return. With the boxes to fill, evidence to keep, and common errors. Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Tax & Finance self-assessmentself-employedtax-year-2025-26payecalc-take-home-pay https://calchub.uk/blog/self-assessment-utr-gateway-setup/ https://calchub.uk/blog/self-assessment-utr-gateway-setup/ Step-by-step guide to registering for Self Assessment, getting your UTR (Unique Taxpayer Reference) number, setting up your HMRC Government Gateway account and what to do if things go wrong. Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Tax & Finance self-assessmentself-employedtax-year-2025-26paye https://calchub.uk/blog/self-assessment-do-i-need-to-file/ https://calchub.uk/blog/self-assessment-do-i-need-to-file/ Most UK workers never need to do a Self Assessment. But about 12 million do. Here's the precise list of trigger conditions for 2024/25 and 2025/26 — and how to register if it turns out you do. Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Tax & Finance self-assessmentself-employedtax-year-2025-26calc-take-home-pay https://calchub.uk/blog/working-from-home-tax-relief-uk/ https://calchub.uk/blog/working-from-home-tax-relief-uk/ UK working-from-home tax relief is £6/week (£312/year) of tax-free expenses — but rules tightened after 2022. Here's who qualifies, how to claim, the self-employed alternative Fri, 10 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Tax & Finance tax-year-2025-26calc-take-home-payself-employed https://calchub.uk/blog/pension-annual-allowance-charge/ https://calchub.uk/blog/pension-annual-allowance-charge/ The UK pension annual allowance is £60,000 but tapers to £10,000 for high earners over £260,000. Here's how the Annual Allowance Charge works, who pays, and the NHS scheme dilemma Wed, 08 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Savings & Investing pensiontax-year-2025-26calc-pension https://calchub.uk/blog/vat-registration-small-business-uk/ https://calchub.uk/blog/vat-registration-small-business-uk/ UK VAT registration is mandatory above £90,000 turnover. Voluntary below. Here's the threshold, when to register, the Flat Rate Scheme, MTD VAT rules and how to deregister if turnover falls Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Tax & Finance tax-year-2025-26vatself-employedcalc-vat https://calchub.uk/blog/uk-dividend-tax-explained-2025-26/ https://calchub.uk/blog/uk-dividend-tax-explained-2025-26/ UK dividend tax 2025/26 has a £500 allowance, then 8.75% basic rate, 33.75% higher rate, 39.35% additional rate. Here's how dividends stack with income, ISA shelter and director-owner tactics Sat, 04 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Tax & Finance tax-year-2025-26calc-dividend-taxisa https://calchub.uk/blog/cgt-second-home-btl-property/ https://calchub.uk/blog/cgt-second-home-btl-property/ Selling a second home or BTL property in the UK? You pay CGT at 18% or 24% on the gain, after the £3,000 annual exemption. Plus the 60-day reporting rule. Worked examples Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT James Morgan Mortgage & Property cgtbtltax-year-2025-26calc-capital-gains-tax https://calchub.uk/blog/uk-tax-bands-reference-2025-26/ https://calchub.uk/blog/uk-tax-bands-reference-2025-26/ Quick reference for UK income tax 2025/26: rates and bands for England/Wales/NI and Scotland, plus Personal Allowance, NI thresholds, dividend rates, savings allowance and student loan thresholds Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT CalcHub Editorial Tax & Finance tax-year-2025-26personal-allowancetax-codescalc-take-home-paycalc-income-tax https://calchub.uk/blog/sdlt-second-home-5-percent-surcharge/ https://calchub.uk/blog/sdlt-second-home-5-percent-surcharge/ Buying a second home or buy-to-let in England or NI? You pay a 5% SDLT surcharge on top of standard rates (raised from 3% in October 2024). Worked examples on £200k-£500k properties Sun, 28 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT James Morgan Mortgage & Property sdltbtltax-year-2025-26calc-stamp-duty https://calchub.uk/blog/hmrc-time-to-pay-tax-debt/ https://calchub.uk/blog/hmrc-time-to-pay-tax-debt/ If you can't pay your UK Self Assessment bill on time, HMRC's Time to Pay scheme spreads it over 6-12 monthly instalments. Here's how to set one up, the 7.5% interest rate, and what protects you from penalties Fri, 26 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Tax & Finance self-assessmenttax-year-2025-26calc-take-home-pay https://calchub.uk/blog/sole-trader-vs-limited-company-2025-26/ https://calchub.uk/blog/sole-trader-vs-limited-company-2025-26/ For UK self-employed in 2025/26, sole trader is simpler but limited company saves tax above ~£35-40k of profit. Worked comparison at £30k, £50k, £80k profit — plus IR35 and admin trade-offs Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Tax & Finance self-employedcontractortax-year-2025-26ir35calc-self-employed-taxcalc-corporation-tax https://calchub.uk/blog/40k-after-tax-uk-2025-26/ https://calchub.uk/blog/40k-after-tax-uk-2025-26/ On a £40,000 UK salary in 2025/26 you take home £32,290 net (£2,691/month). Income tax £5,486, NI £2,194. Full breakdown with pension and student loan variants Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Salary & Pay calc-take-home-paytax-year-2025-26 https://calchub.uk/blog/foreign-income-uk-tax/ https://calchub.uk/blog/foreign-income-uk-tax/ If you're UK tax-resident, you typically pay UK tax on worldwide income. Here's how foreign salary, dividends, rental, US 401(k), pensions and crypto are taxed in the UK, with double tax relief Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Tax & Finance tax-year-2025-26self-assessmentcalc-take-home-pay https://calchub.uk/blog/100k-salary-after-tax-uk/ https://calchub.uk/blog/100k-salary-after-tax-uk/ On a £100,000 UK salary you take home £67,803 net (£5,650/month). But every pound earned above £100k is hit by the 60% effective tax rate due to the personal allowance taper. Full breakdown Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Salary & Pay calc-take-home-paytax-year-2025-26personal-allowance https://calchub.uk/blog/capital-gains-tax-shares-uk/ https://calchub.uk/blog/capital-gains-tax-shares-uk/ UK CGT on shares is 18% (basic rate band) or 24% (higher rate band) after the £3,000 annual exemption. Here's how Section 104 pooling works, when to report, and how 'Bed and ISA' avoids tax Tue, 16 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Tax & Finance cgttax-year-2025-26isacalc-capital-gains-tax https://calchub.uk/blog/personal-savings-allowance-uk-2025-26/ https://calchub.uk/blog/personal-savings-allowance-uk-2025-26/ The UK Personal Savings Allowance is £1,000 for basic-rate taxpayers, £500 for higher-rate, £0 for additional-rate. Above PSA, savings interest is taxable. Here's how it works and what to do above it Sun, 14 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Savings & Investing tax-year-2025-26isacalc-savingscalc-compound-interest https://calchub.uk/blog/claim-back-overpaid-tax-uk/ https://calchub.uk/blog/claim-back-overpaid-tax-uk/ If HMRC overcharged you via PAYE (wrong tax code, emergency tax, mid-year job change), you can claim back overpaid tax through P800, R40 or your Personal Tax Account. Here's exactly how Fri, 12 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Tax & Finance tax-codespayetax-year-2025-26calc-take-home-pay https://calchub.uk/blog/universal-credit-work-allowance-2025-26/ https://calchub.uk/blog/universal-credit-work-allowance-2025-26/ On Universal Credit, every £1 you earn above your work allowance reduces UC by 55p (the taper rate). Here's how the work allowance, taper rate and 2025/26 rates actually work, with worked examples Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Salary & Pay tax-year-2025-26calc-take-home-pay https://calchub.uk/blog/ulez-caz-uk-2026/ https://calchub.uk/blog/ulez-caz-uk-2026/ London's ULEZ costs £12.50/day; Birmingham, Bristol, Sheffield and other UK Clean Air Zones charge £8-£10/day for non-compliant vehicles. Here's exactly which cars are exempt Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT CalcHub Editorial Cars & Travel tax-year-2025-26calc-fuel-costcalc-car-running-cost https://calchub.uk/blog/workplace-pension-auto-enrolment-explained/ https://calchub.uk/blog/workplace-pension-auto-enrolment-explained/ UK auto-enrolment requires 8% total pension contributions (5% you, 3% employer) on qualifying earnings £6,240-£50,270. Here's how it works, why you shouldn't opt out, and how to boost above the minimum Sat, 06 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Savings & Investing pensiontax-year-2025-26calc-pensionpaye https://calchub.uk/blog/tax-free-childcare-uk-2025-26/ https://calchub.uk/blog/tax-free-childcare-uk-2025-26/ UK Tax-Free Childcare gives parents £2 for every £8 you pay into your childcare account (up to £2,000/year per child, £4,000 if disabled). Here's exactly how it works and the eligibility traps Thu, 04 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Salary & Pay tax-year-2025-26calc-take-home-pay https://calchub.uk/blog/buy-to-let-viability-uk-2026/ https://calchub.uk/blog/buy-to-let-viability-uk-2026/ After Section 24, the 5% SDLT surcharge, higher mortgage rates and 18%/24% CGT, UK buy-to-let returns in 2026 look very different to 2010. Here's the honest profitability picture with worked numbers Tue, 02 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT James Morgan Mortgage & Property btlcalc-buy-to-letcalc-rental-yieldtax-year-2025-26 https://calchub.uk/blog/inheritance-tax-uk-2025-26/ https://calchub.uk/blog/inheritance-tax-uk-2025-26/ UK Inheritance Tax kicks in above £325,000 (£500k with home + family) at 40%. Here's how the bands work, the seven-year rule on gifts, business and agricultural reliefs, and the major April 2027 pension change Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT Emma Clarke Tax & Finance ihttax-year-2025-26calc-take-home-pay https://calchub.uk/blog/mortgage-overpayment-vs-investing/ https://calchub.uk/blog/mortgage-overpayment-vs-investing/ At 4.5% mortgage rates and 6% expected long-run equity returns, mortgage overpayment vs investing is closer than ever. Here's the maths on £200/month — and the behavioural factors that often matter more Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT James Morgan Mortgage & Property calc-mortgagecalc-compound-interesttax-year-2025-26