6 things to do before Tax Year End

The tax year ends on 05 April. Find out how to make the most of your remaining annual allowances, and discover other tax benefits you could be entitled to.

1. Use your annual ISA allowance

This tax year, you can save a total of £20,000 across multiple ISA accounts. 

Any growth or income your ISA receives are free from UK Income Tax and UK Capital Gains Tax. This helps you keep more of what you save. 

Keep in mind, you don't need to invest the full £20,000 to benefit from your allowance. Every pound you save counts towards it. 

However, you can't roll any unused ISA allowance into the next tax year. 

Our Ready-Made Investment ISA and Stocks and Shares ISA can help you make the most of your annual allowance. 

To count towards your 2025/26 allowance Ready-Made Investments top ups must be made to us by debit card before 23:59 on 05 April. 

2. Use your annual pension allowance

This tax year, the standard allowance lets you and your employer save up to 100% of your annual salary (up to a limit of 60,000) tax efficiently across multiple personal and workplace pensions. 

It's tax-efficient because you'll receive tax relief on any personal contributions you make within these limits. 

Tax relief is when the tax you would have paid on your pension contributions is given back to you by HMRC. So, if you contribute £120 to your pension, HMRC adds £30, giving you a total of £150 invested.

Also, any growth or income your pension receives is protected from UK Capital Gains and Income Tax. 

To count towards your 2025/26 allowance, single pension payments must reach us by 3:30pm on Friday 27 March 2026. 

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3. Maximise your tax-free allowance

Your personal allowance lets you earn a certain amount before paying any income tax. For the 2025/26 tax year, this is £12.570.  

For high earners, the personal allowance is reduced by £1 for every £2 of 'adjusted net income' earned over £100,000. You'll have no personal allowance once your income goes above £125,140. 

You can reduce your adjusted net income by using your excess income to make personal pension contributions. These contributions will also benefit from tax relief. 

If you pay more than 20% tax on some of your income, you can claim additional tax relief by contacting HMRC or via your self assessment tax return. 

The Government website has more information about income tax rates and your personal allowance.

4. Use the marriage allowance

The marriage allowance applies to married couples and civil partnerships, in which one is a non-taxpayer and the other a basic rate taxpayer. 

This lets you share some of your annual allowances with your spouse, and could help you cut your income tax bill this year. 

The Government’s Marriage Allowance guide has more information. 

Also, you usually won’t pay Capital Gains Tax on gifts or assets transferred to your spouse, civil partner or a charity. 

You can find out more about the Capital Gains Tax on the Government website.  

5. Get tax relief on Gift Aid donations

If you pay enough tax each year, you can choose to donate to charity through Gift Aid. Your chosen cause will receive an extra 25p for every £1 you give.

Higher and additional rate taxpayers can get tax relief on grossed-up donations at a rate of either 20% or 25%. This is the difference between your rate and the basic rate applied to the donation.

The Government website explains how donating through Gift Aid can benefit you, and the causes you support.

6. Check your child benefit status

The High Income Child Benefit tax charge comes into effect if your 'adjusted net income' is above £60,000, and if you or you partner receive Child Benefit. 

Your adjusted net income is your income before personal allowances, and after certain tax reliefs have been considered. 

Increasing your pension contributions might reduce your adjusted net income to below the £60,000 limit. This would let you keep the full amount of Child Benefit you receive.

If you have a workplace pension, you can speak with your employer to increase your contributions. 

Find out more on the Government website.

Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances. Your circumstances and tax rules may change in the future.

Every care has been taken to ensure that this information is correct and in accordance with our understanding of the law, and HM Revenue & Custom practice, which may change. However, independent confirmation should be obtained before acting or retaining from acting in reliance upon the information given.

If you have any questions, or would like advice based on the above, you should consider speaking to a financial adviser. They'll normally charge a fee for any advice they give.