Businesses and employees can now claim more for business travel, following HMRC’s first mileage rate increase in 15 years.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has announced an increase to the Approved Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAPs) for employees and self-employed individuals using their own vehicles for business journeys. The change applies from 6 April 2026 and is backdated to the start of the current tax year.

The headline rate for cars and vans has increased from 45p to 55p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles travelled each tax year. The rate for mileage above 10,000 miles remains unchanged at 25p per mile.

New HMRC Mileage Rates for 2026/27

Employees carrying fellow employees on a qualifying business journey can also continue to claim an additional 5p per passenger per mile.

What Does This Mean?

The increase is designed to better reflect the rising costs of motoring, including fuel, maintenance, insurance and vehicle depreciation. It is the first increase to the standard mileage rate since 2011.

For employees who use their personal vehicles for work, the change could result in significantly higher tax-free mileage reimbursements. Businesses should also review their mileage policies and expense systems to ensure they are applying the updated rates.

From 6 April 2026, HMRC will require many UK taxpayers to submit quarterly updates of their income and expenses under the Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD ITSA) rules.

This will replace the current single annual Self Assessment return with quarterly summary submissions made using compatible digital software, followed by a final year-end declaration.

To enable us to complete these submissions on your behalf, you will need to provide your income and expenditure details proactively on a quarterly basis with very short specific filing deadlines.

Please contact us to discuss how to implement this procedure

From 18 November 2025, all company directors and people with significant control (PSCs) will be legally required to verify their identity under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. This requirement is part of wider reforms to help prevent the misuse of UK companies.

Although not a deadline, more a “start-line” all returns to be filed after the above date will require this personal code to be submitted for all registered directors.

To do this start here Verify your identity for Companies House – GOV.UK

Once you have done this you will receive a personal code which you should keep secure, until such times as you may need that to submit accounts and returns to Registrar Of Companies

In the UK, if you sell certain assets (like property or shares) and make a profit (capital gain), you might need to pay Capital Gains Tax (CGT).

For some types of property, you must report and pay it separately and sooner—this is called a Real-Time Capital Gains Tax Return.

When do you need to file a Real-Time CGT Return?

You must file a real-time CGT return if:

1. You sell UK residential property that is not your main home (e.g., a rental property, holiday home, or second home).
2. You make a taxable capital gain (i.e., the profit is above your tax-free allowance, called the Annual Exempt Amount).
3. You owe CGT on the sale (e.g., because it isn’t covered by reliefs or allowances).

How soon must you report and pay?

• 60 days from the sale completion date
• You must calculate the CGT due and pay it at the same time as submitting the return.

What if you’re already filing a Self Assessment return?

• You still need to file a real-time CGT return if the property sale meets the criteria above.
• Later, you also report it in your Self Assessment to confirm the final tax amount (any overpayment or underpayment is adjusted then).

What types of property sales don’t need a real-time CGT return?

• If the property is your main home and qualifies for Private Residence Relief (so no tax is due).
• If your total capital gains in the tax year are below the Annual Exempt Amount (£6,000 for 2023/24).
• If you sell non-property assets like shares (these are reported in the normal Self Assessment).

What happens if you miss the deadline?

• Late filing penalties apply (starting from £100).
• Interest is charged on late tax payments.

If you purchase a double cab pick-up with a payload of one tonne or more before 1 April 2025 for corporation tax, or 6 April 2025 for income tax, you can enjoy the favourable tax treatment available on vehicles primarily suited to the conveyance of goods. These include:

• 100% annual investment allowance;
• full expensing; and
• flat rate benefit in kind value.

Double cab pick-ups purchased after those dates will lose the beneficial treatment as they will be classified as cars.

Employers that have purchased, leased or ordered a double cab pick-up before 6 April 2025 can benefit from the previous benefit in kind treatment until the earlier of: disposal of the vehicle; expiry of the lease; or 5 April 2029.