A quick tax summary in brief 2026

Private Wealth, Tax Advisory / Friday / 04 / September 2026

Ingrid McCleave

+44 (0)20 4511 0933

IMcCleave@greenwoods.co.uk

While there have been no major rate changes across several tax regimes in 2026, HMRC continues to refine its approach to compliance, administration and taxpayer reporting. Here are some of the developments worth keeping on your radar.

SDLT: No changes to the rates in 2026. HMRC scrutiny of mixed-use claims also remains a key focus, with recent tribunal decisions highlighting the importance of genuine non-residential elements where lower mixed-use rates are claimed. A recent tribunal case allowed mixed use where there was a flat, a parking space and a storage unit under separate titles: Raj Sehgal v The Commissioners for HMRC [2025] UKFTT 1439 (TC).

Income Tax: HMRC’s June 2026 Tax Update launched a consultation on “more timely payments” for Income Tax Self-Assessment. Under the proposals, individuals with both PAYE and Self-Assessment obligations could be required to pay a greater proportion of their estimated tax liability in-year through PAYE from April 2029, reducing reliance on large balancing payments.

Income Tax (administration): The same package of measures included a review of PAYE-related processes and wider tax simplification initiatives, reflecting the Government’s continued focus on digitisation, improving compliance and reducing administrative burdens for taxpayers and employers alike.

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