Birthdays and anniversaries are the obvious milestones to note in your diary for 2025, but there are also several important financial dates that could affect your finances.
The next 12 months herald a “raft of personal financial changes”, said MoneyWeek, which could affect everything from your energy bills to how much tax you pay.
1 January
The energy price cap rises in January, making gas and electricity bills “even more expensive”, said Sky News.
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Set every three months by energy regulator Ofgem, the cap rise will mean a typical yearly bill will be £1,738 from January, an increase of 1.2%.
VAT will be added to private school fees from January.
Critics claim it will force schools to close and “cause an exodus of private school pupils”, said the i news site, “flooding the state sector”. But the government insists the policy is “necessary to sustain the underfunded state sector” and claims it will raise up to £1.7 billion by 2029/30.
31 January
Online self-assessment tax returns must be submitted by the end of January. These are filed by the self-employed, or those who need to complete a tax return for other reasons, such as receiving income for property rental.
Be wary though. There are warnings of con artists “targeting people” with offers of tax refunds, said the Daily Record.
6 February
The Bank of England’s first monetary policy committee meeting of 2025 will be held on 6 February.
Interest rates are expected to fall further in 2025, added MoneyWeek, but are “unlikely to return to the ultra-low levels” experienced after the financial crisis.
26 March
The previous Tory governments traditionally held a Spring Budget in March but chancellor Rachel Reeves said she would not hold an emergency tax-raising UK Budget “in the event low growth or other setbacks blow a hole in her fiscal plans”, said the Financial Times.
Instead, there will be a Spring Forecast on 26 March, which Reeves made clear would not include any new rises in taxes or borrowing.
1 April
Stamp duty thresholds are also due to drop, adding to the cost of buying a property.
For first-time buyers, stamp duty relief will fall from £425,000 to £300,000, while other home-movers will pay the tax from £125,000 instead of £250,000.
The changes are “likely to generate volatility” in the property market, said Nationwide, as buyers will bring purchases forward.
Eligible claimants “risk missing out on higher state pension payments over gaps”, so it is important to make note of the deadline and take action.
Details on how to pay voluntary NI contributions and eligibility are available on the government’s website.
6 April
Lots of financial changes take effect in April as the new tax year begins on 6 April.
As announced in the Autumn Budget, employers’ NI contributions will rise from 13.8% to 15% from April 2025, while the threshold when businesses start paying NI contributions will be cut from £9,100 to £5,000.
The amount employers can claim from their NI bill will rise from £5,000 to £10,500.
The state pension will also rise to £230.30 per week or just under £12,000 per year. The higher payments mean more pensioners are “at risk of a bill coming through the door from the government tax department”, said the Daily Mirror, as the increased income could take them above the personal tax allowance.
20 August
After a relatively quiet few months for money matters, the inflation reading for July on 20 August will be important, said MoneyWeek, “as it is traditionally used to set the increase in rail fares” for the following year.
16 September
On 16 September, the latest UK wage figures will be considered to set the triple lock for the state pension, added the financial website.
The state pension will be based on the highest of wage growth, inflation or 2.5%.
5 October
October is a “big money month” for your finances, said MoneyWellness.
The deadline to register for self-assessment and to file by paper is 5 October while postal returns must be filed by the end of the month.
November and December
November is relatively quiet financially but those receiving benefits such as universal credit should check their accounts in December as the government gives certain low-income households a Christmas bonus.
Worth £10, the “free cash” usually “lands in bank accounts” in the first week of December, said The Sun, but “could be any time before 1 January at the latest”.
