The new tax year begins on 6th April and for employers running monthly payrolls, the March pay run will be the last of the 2023/24 tax year.
Some things you will need to make sure you do and when you need to do them are listed below:
- Send your final payroll report of the year to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). You may need to mark in your payroll software that this is the final submission for the tax year.
- Update your employee records before 6th April. This may include new tax code notices. If your software automatically updates tax code notices, then check these to make sure they are accurate.
- Update your payroll software. If you use a desktop application to run your payroll then it will need updating from 6th April or whenever your software provider tells you to do so. If you use browser-based software to run your payroll then it is unlikely that you will need to run an update, but you should check.
- Give your employees a P60 by 31st May at the latest.
- Report employee expenses and benefits by 6th July at the latest.
UK businesses are facing a “cost of business crisis”, according to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). Its new cost-stack calculator shows government policy alone has pushed up an average firm's expenses by 70% over the past decade, adding roughly £827,000 a year in costs for a typical mid-sized business. About a quarter of the rise stems from the increase in employer National Insurance contributions, with the higher minimum wage and mandatory pension auto-enrolment also major contributors.
Under Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax, sole traders and landlords with income of more than £50,000 have been required to keep digital records and send quarterly updates to HMRC since 6 April 2026.
