If you’ve ever wondered why the UK tax year ends on 5 April, get ready for a quirky history lesson full of lost days, leap years, and a bit of confusion that we’re still living with today.
The Great Calendar Shake-Up of 1752
Let’s start in 1752, when the UK made a bold move by switching from the old Julian calendar to the more accurate Gregorian calendar. The Julian calendar had a slight problem: it miscalculated the year by 11 minutes. This tiny error eventually led to the UK falling 11 days out of sync with the rest of Europe.
The solution? In September 1752, the government deleted 11 days from the calendar. People went to bed on 2 September and woke up on 14 September. Just like that, 11 days vanished!
From 25 March to 4 April
Before this calendar chaos, the UK tax year began on 25 March (Lady Day, one of the key “quarter days” for settling rents and taxes)and ended on 24 March the following year. But after losing 11 days in 1752, the tax year end was shifted from 24 March to 4 April to make sure the taxman’s sums still added up.
The Leap Year of 1796 – Another Shift
Now, here’s where it gets even more interesting. In 1796,there was a leap year, which added an extra day to the calendar. To account for this, the tax year was pushed forward by one more day. So, from 1796 onward, the UK tax year officially ended on 5 April and has stayed there ever since.
Why Not Change It?
At this point, you might be asking, “Why not just change it to 1 January like the calendar year?” A good question! But in true British fashion, we love our traditions, no matter how confusing. So, we’ve stuck with the 5 April tax year end, which all dates back to a mix of lost days, leap years, and historical quirks.
At Black Fox Advisers, we’re here to make sure you’re on top of your taxes, no matter how many calendar changes the UK has thrown at us!