Self Assessment for dance teachers: 2025 to 2026 dates

Lots of us teach as freelancers. You might run your own evening classes, cover for a local studio and teach in a primary school on Fridays. Getting your tax return done early is one of the best things you can do for your teaching business. It also leaves January free for planning your spring term.

Here are the key dates and basics of Self Assessment for dance teachers. They cover the 2025 to 2026 tax year, which ran from 6 April 2025 to 5 April 2026. If this is your first year teaching freelance, the date to note right now is 5 October 2026. That’s when you need to tell HMRC you need to complete a return.

This is general guidance, not financial or tax advice. For your own situation, check gov.uk or speak to an accountant.

Are you a sole trader?

A sole trader works for themselves, is classed as self-employed and makes the business decisions. That’s how the gov.uk guide to becoming a sole trader describes it. You can be employed and self-employed at the same time. A teacher with a school contract who also runs private evening classes could be both.

You can start trading straight away. You must register for Self Assessment as a sole trader if you earn more than £1,000 in a tax year.

The £1,000 trading allowance

If your gross income from self-employment is £1,000 or less in a tax year, you may not need to tell HMRC. There are exceptions, though. The HMRC page on tax-free allowances on property and trading income explains when. If you earn more, you can deduct the £1,000 allowance instead of your actual expenses, but not both. HMRC notes that if your expenses are more than your income, claiming expenses may work out better.

The dates that matter this year

Here are the dates for your 2025 to 2026 return, from the gov.uk page on Self Assessment deadlines:

• 5 October 2026: tell HMRC you need to complete a return. This applies if you haven’t sent one before, or didn’t need to send one for 2024 to 2025.
• 31 October 2026: paper tax returns must reach HMRC by 11:59pm.
• 30 December 2026: submit your online return by 11:59pm if you want to pay through your tax code.
• 31 January 2027: submit your online return and pay the tax you owe, both by 11:59pm.
• 31 July 2027: second payment on account, if you make them.

If you register after 5 October 2026, HMRC will give you a different deadline for your return. It’s 3 months from the date on its letter or email. You must still pay what you owe by 31 January 2027. Registering late could mean a penalty, so it’s worth doing as soon as you know. You can register for Self Assessment online, and once you’re set up you can file your Self Assessment tax return online.

Picture a teacher who runs two evening classes, covers Saturday mornings at a local studio and teaches in a primary school on Fridays. If she’s never sent a return before, 5 October 2026 is her first date to note. After that, her online return and any tax she owes are due by 31 January 2027.

Payments on account

Payments on account are worth planning for early. HMRC describes payments on account as advance payments towards your next tax bill. You make them in two instalments, by 31 January and 31 July. Each one is usually half of the tax you owed the year before.

You don’t have to make them if last year’s bill was less than £1,000. The same applies if you paid more than 80% of your tax outside Self Assessment, for example through your tax code. If it’s your first return and you do need to make them, January will include your full bill plus your first payment on account. Setting a little aside from each term’s fees makes that easy to manage.

Keep simple records as you go

Records are easiest as a simple monthly habit. Log your class fees, school invoices and private lesson payments, and keep receipts for what you spend.

The gov.uk guide to business records if you’re self-employed says you must keep records of your business income and expenses. Most businesses can use cash basis, which has been the default since the 2024 to 2025 tax year. You record money when it comes in or goes out, so you don’t pay Income Tax on fees you haven’t received yet.

You must keep your records for at least 5 years after the 31 January submission deadline for that tax year. For a 2025 to 2026 return sent by 31 January 2027, that means keeping them until at least the end of January 2032.

Expenses you might claim

You can deduct allowable expenses to work out your taxable profit. The gov.uk guide to expenses if you’re self-employed says they must be costs related to your business. Examples on its list include:

• travel costs, such as fuel, parking, or train and bus fares
• clothing expenses, such as uniforms
• financial costs, such as insurance or bank charges
• advertising or marketing, such as website costs
• subscriptions to trade or professional journals
• training courses related to your business, such as refresher courses.

If you use something for both business and personal reasons, you can only claim the business part. If you’re not sure whether a cost counts, HMRC says to contact it.

Making Tax Digital: when it starts for you

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax changes how sole traders report their income, using compatible software. Your start date depends on your qualifying income. HMRC’s guidance on whether and when you need to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax sets it out:

• over £50,000 for 2024 to 2025: from 6 April 2026
• over £30,000 for 2025 to 2026: from 6 April 2027
• over £20,000 for 2026 to 2027: from 6 April 2028.

HMRC reviews your Self Assessment return each year and writes to you if you need to start. It’s still up to you to check. HMRC’s online tool tells you if and when you need to sign up, and whether you might be exempt.

Insurance and staying covered

Good cover is part of running a professional teaching business. If you employ anyone, gov.uk says you must have employers’ liability insurance as soon as you become an employer. Cover must be at least £5 million, from an authorised insurer. There are exceptions, for example if you only employ a family member.

As a sole trader, you’re personally responsible for your business’s debts, and gov.uk notes that business insurance may give you more protection. Check what each venue or school you work with asks for, and keep your certificates where you can find them quickly.

Support from our partner, BDSA

Our partner, the British DanceSport Association (BDSA), is worth a look when you review your cover. Its membership plans list professional dance insurance as part of Professional membership. The Dance Schools & Studios plan lists event insurance, personal indemnity insurance and a DBS checking service. Check the details with BDSA to make sure the cover suits the way you teach.

Teaching for a studio? Check your status

If a studio pays you to cover classes, are you self-employed or an employee? It depends on the arrangement. The gov.uk guide to employment status says someone is self-employed if they run their business for themselves. They also take responsibility for its success or failure.

HMRC may treat someone as self-employed for tax even if their status is different in employment law. Getting status right protects you from unpaid tax and penalties later, and HMRC has an online tool to help you check. If you’re a studio owner taking on teachers, the same page is worth a read. While you’re reviewing things, our Teach.Dance post on pricing your dance classes can help you build tax and insurance into your fees.

Quick FAQ

I teach a few private lessons alongside my job. Do I need to register?
Yes, if your self-employed income is more than £1,000 in a tax year. If it’s £1,000 or less, check the exceptions on gov.uk.

What happens if I file late?
HMRC charges an initial £100 penalty for a late return, with further penalties after 3, 6 and 12 months. Paying late brings penalties and interest too. If you have a reasonable excuse, you can appeal. The gov.uk page on Self Assessment penalties has the details.

Do I pay National Insurance as well?
When you submit your return, HMRC works out any Income Tax and National Insurance due based on your profits. The gov.uk page on self-employed National Insurance rates explains that if your profits are more than £12,570 a year, you pay Class 4 contributions.

What should I do first?
If you’re new to freelancing, check whether you need to tell HMRC by 5 October 2026. Then set up a simple monthly log for your fees and receipts.

Teach.Dance · For Teachers, By Teachers