Key dates for your money in 2026, plus cash-saving tips

The last government Budget was full of personal finance and tax changes, which means a jam-packed year ahead for your money.

The diary for 2026 includes energy price cap changes, a hike to the minimum wage, and the removal of the two-child benefit cap.

Read on to find out the key dates to mark in your calendar, plus handy tips to cut your bills.

1 January: New energy price cap comes into effect

What’s happening?

Household energy bills are set to rise by 0.2% from January 1 after Ofgem increased its next price cap.

The current price cap sees homes using a typical, medium amount of gas and electricity pay around £1,755 a year if they are on a variable tariff. That figure will rise to £1,758 in January.

What can you do?

Improving your insulation can have a dramatic impact on your bills – more than outweighing price cap changes – and doesn’t have to be expensive.

Loft insulation is the cheapest and easiest way to boost your home's insulation credentials, and you could save up to £200 per year in a semi-detached house.

31 January: Online tax return deadline

What’s happening?

Those who file self-assessment tax returns online must file their 2024-25 return and pay the tax they owe by midnight on Saturday 31 January.

If you're self-employed, you’ll usually also be asked to make the first of two payments towards your next bill, with the second due by 31 July 2025.

What can you do?

You could face a £100 fine for filing even just a day after the deadline.

If you've never submitted a tax return before, you'll need to register with HMRC. You can do this online.

Once you've done that, you can choose from two ways to submit your tax return – by filling out the paper tax return and posting it to HMRC, or doing it online on the HMRC website.

5 February: BoE’s first base rate decision of 2026

What’s happening?

The Bank of England base rate influences how much it costs to borrow and how much you get paid to save.

The base rate was cut to 3.75% on December 18. However, with members of the Monetary Policy Committee only narrowly voting for a cut (five, versus four wanting to hold the rate), and inflation still above target, further cuts are far from guaranteed.

What can you do?

The base rate influences the interest rates lenders offer on mortgage deals, as well as the savings market.

You can use our guides on the best mortgage deals and savings accounts to help shop for top deals.

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31 March: Household Support Fund and Winter Fuel Payment deadlines

What’s happening?

The end of March marks the end of the Household Support Fund, which was put in place to support vulnerable families struggling with the cost of living.

Separately, although most people get the Winter Fuel Payment automatically, some people may need to claim it. The deadline for you to make a claim for winter 2025-26 is the end of March.

What can you do?

The Household Support Fund is run by local councils who will have different eligibility criteria. Some let households apply directly, others share out funding via local charities and community groups. Check with your council what support is available before the deadline.

You may need to apply for the Winter Fuel Payment if for example you don’t receive the state pension or pension credits. You can find the Winter Fuel Payment claim form here.

1 April: Minimum wage rise comes into effect

What’s happening?

The national living wage for those aged 21 or over will rise by 50p an hour to £12.71.

The biggest rise will be seen for those aged 18-20, at 85p. The government says this marks further progress towards its goal of phasing out 18-20 minimum wage bands and establishing a single adult rate.

What can you do?

If you think your pay is below the correct minimum wage rate, you should talk to your employer first.

If this doesn’t fix the problem, you can call the confidential Acas helpline to help you solve a payment dispute. You can also make a complaint to HMRC.

1 April: Two-child benefit cap axed

What’s happening?

The two-child benefit cap will be lifted from April. The policy currently prevents families from claiming the Universal Credit child element – worth £292.81 a month – for a third or subsequent child born after 6 April 2017.

What can you do?

From April, families will be eligible for £3,647 per child per year for all children in their household born after April 2017.

You can apply for Universal Credit online on the gov.uk website. If you don't have a computer, you might be able to use one at your local job centre, library or local council. 

Alternatively, you can apply over the phone on the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.

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1 April: Council tax rises and other bill hikes

What’s happening?

Council tax bills are expected to rise across England and Wales from April. The tax has rapidly turned into one of the biggest monthly bills faced by households, with the average band D property now charged £2,280 per year

Most councils in England can raise council tax rates by up to 5% without calling a referendum, which could mean a rise of £114 for the average band D home.

Other bills are also expected to rise on this date, including:

• TV licence fee – set to rise with inflation. The exact figure has not been confirmed but it’s expected to rise from £174.50 to around £180.
• Vehicle tax – will rise in line with RPI (the Retail Prices Index measure of inflation).
• Water bills – expected to rise
• New energy price cap – the price cap is forecast to drop to £1,674.60, according to Cornwall Insight. Consumers might enjoy even cheaper prices, as various green levies are dropped from bills and the government consults on cutting standing charges.
• Air passenger duty – will rise with RPI.

What can you do?

Check to see if you're eligible for a council tax reduction or refund. You could also challenge your council tax band if you think your banding is wrong.

You might be able to reduce your water bill by getting a water meter installed, or applying for a social tariff if you’re on a lower income.

You may qualify for a free or discounted TV licence if you are visually impaired or if you’re over 75 and in receipt of pension credit.

5 April: End of the tax year and Isa deadline

What’s happening?

Adults are entitled to a £20,000 tax-free Isa allowance every year, and you must use your 2025-26 allowance by this date.

The cash Isa allowance will eventually be cut to £12,000 for anyone under the age of 65, but this won’t come into effect until April 2027.

This is also the deadline for using your pension allowance, as well as other tax allowances such as capital gains and dividend tax allowances.

What can you do?

Check out our guides on the best cash Isas and best stocks and shares Isas to help you decide where to keep your money in 2026.

6 April: New tax year and dividend tax hike

What’s happening?

April 6 marks the start of the new tax year for 2026-27.

If you have all the information you need and are feeling enthusiastic, today is the first day you can file a 2025-26 tax return.

Investors will also face a two percentage point hike to the basic and higher rate of dividend tax. People who hold investments outside of a stocks and shares Isa or Sipp, or who own their own business and pay themselves in dividends, will likely have to pay more in tax.

What can you do?

Investors wanting to cut their dividend tax bill should move their assets into an Isa or Sipp where possible.

If your non-Isa investment pot is larger than your allowances, you prioritise shifting your biggest dividend-paying investments into your Isa first.

Don’t forget, you can also transfer ownership of assets to your spouse or civil partner tax-free. They can then make use of their own dividend allowance, or transfer assets into their own Isa.

13 April: State pension and benefits boost

What’s happening?

New State Pension rates will come into effect. 

They will rise 4.8% in line with wage data thanks to the triple lock. This means someone on a full new state pension will see their weekly payment rise to £241.30 per week. Someone on the full basic state pension will see their weekly payment boosted to £184.90 per week.

Jobseekers' Allowance, Housing Benefit and Universal Credit and other benefits also rise today. For Universal Credit, the basic standard allowance will rise, while additional health payments will fall.

Those benefits that are linked to inflation will rise by 3.8%, while Universal Credit standard allowances will receive an additional uplift of 2.3%.

What can you do?

You qualify for the state pension when you reach state pension age, as long as you have built up at least 10 years of National Insurance contributions.

If you have any gaps in your National Insurance record that mean you won't get the full state pension, you can pay voluntary contributions to build up your entitlement.

You can check out our guide on Universal Credit to see how much you might be eligible for.

1 July: New energy price cap

The energy price cap for the third quarter of the year will come into effect.

31 July: Payment on account deadline

What’s happening?

The second ‘payment on account’ for the self-employed is due on this date.

What can you do?

'Payments on account' are payments towards your next tax bill, which help spread the cost of your bill by making payments in two instalments. By default, each payment on account is half of the tax you owed last year. 

If you do not expect to pay as much tax over the coming tax year as you did previously, you can apply to reduce your payment on account.

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1 August: University tuition fees increase takes effect

What’s happening?

Maximum annual university tuition fees in England rise in line with inflation from £9,250 to £9,535.

What can you do?

In the UK, students going to university also receive a maintenance loan to help with living costs. These are means-tested, and the amount you get depends on where you live and study.

You could also consider opening a student bank account, which often includes a 0% overdraft. Many also offer freebies like cash, takeaway vouchers and railcards.

1 September: Free school meals eligibility expanded

What’s happening?

Eligibility for free school meals is made available from this month to all children in England whose parents receive Universal Credit.

What can you do?

You can check your eligibility and apply for free school meals through the government website here.

1 October: New energy price cap

The energy price cap for the final quarter of the year will come into effect.

Which? has a handy guide to help you find the best energy deals throughout the year.

5 October: Deadline to register for self-assessment

You must tell HMRC by 5 October if you need to complete a self-assessment tax return and have not sent one before. You can tell HMRC by registering for self-assessment.

31 October: Deadline to file paper self-assessment tax return

If you choose to send a paper self-assessment tax return by post rather than filing it online, you must do so by 31 October.

October or November: Autumn Budget

Budgets are generally set once every year and are announced in the House of Commons by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The Budget usually takes place in the Autumn, and sets out the state of the economy as well as any proposed tax changes.

In 2025, the Autumn Budget was on 26 November.