January often feels like a welcome breather after the intense demands of the winter season—flu jabs, increased footfall, supply challenges, and end-of-year pressures. But before you unwind too much, there’s one important date that shouldn’t slip your mind:

The Self-Assessment Tax Return Deadline is 31 January 2026

If you work as a locum pharmacist in the UK, you’re likely responsible for completing a self-assessment tax return each year. HMRC requires all self-employed professionals to submit their 2024/25 tax return and pay any tax owed by 31 January 2026. Missing the deadline can lead to penalties, interest charges, and unnecessary hassle—so now is the perfect time to get everything in order.

Helpful Tips for Completing Your Self-Assessment

Whether you’re new to locuming or well-practised with the process, these reminders can help make things smoother:

Gather Your Income Records

Collect all invoices, bank statements, and LALPro earnings summaries. You’ll need a full picture of your income across any roles, including:

• Locum shifts through agencies or platforms
• Direct contracts with pharmacies
• Private consulting or vaccination services

  Track and Categorise Your Expenses

  Legitimate business expenses can reduce your taxable income. For locum pharmacists, these commonly include:
• Professional indemnity insurance
• GPhC fees
• Travel to different pharmacy sites
• Equipment (e.g., BP monitors, uniform, laptop)
• Mobile phone usage related to work Make sure you keep receipts or digital records.

  Double-Check Your Payments on Account

  Many locum pharmacists are often surprised by HMRC’s “payments on account,” especially if it’s their first year being self-employed. This is where HMRC expects you to pay in advance for the upcoming tax year. Check whether you need to budget for:
• Balancing payment for last year
• First payment on account for next year

Submit Early to Avoid Stress

Submitting closer to the deadline can mean longer waits, system bottlenecks, and less time to fix errors. Even if you can’t pay immediately, submitting early gives peace of mind.

Stay Tax-Ready: Track Invoices & Expenses Effortlessly

Managing your finances as a locum professional doesn’t have to be stressful. With LAL Pro, you can automate invoicing, track expenses seamlessly, and stay tax-ready—without the admin headaches.

Make filing your Self Assessment a Breeze with LAL Pro:

✅ Effortlessly create and send invoices: Create, customise, and send invoices instantly to multiple organisations. Track payment status’ effortlessly.

✅ Add expenses easily: Simplify your financial tracking by including expenses directly in your invoices.

✅ Send invoices instantly: Forget about doing hours of admin in the evening, send invoices in just a few clicks!

✅ Track unpaid invoices: Stay on top of your earnings and follow up on any outstanding payments.

Try free for 14-days (click here)

Need Expert Help? Peak Chartered Accountants Can Assist

Tax rules can be tricky—especially with irregular hours, multiple income streams, and varied expenses that come with locum work. If you’d prefer an expert to guide you through the process, Peak Chartered Accountants can help. We offer services tailored to self-employed professionals, including:

• Full self-assessment completion
• Expense optimisation
• Advice on payments on account
• Tax planning for locum pharmacist Working with a specialist accountant can save time, reduce stress, and often minimise your tax bill legally and efficiently.

Take Action Now

✔️ Start gathering your documents ✔️ Review your expenses ✔️ Consider getting professional support if needed ✔️ Aim to file before the rush Working with a chartered accountant can make submitting your self-assessment tax return a lot easier. Peak Chartered Accountant has over 20 years of experience helping locums with their taxes. To get 10% off self-assessment tax services for Locate a Locum users, contact Peak Chartered Accountants today.

Contact a chartered accountant today: Darren Cowie hello@peakca.co.uk www.peakca.co.uk