Keeping the book up to date throughout the year makes this less of a mammoth task," he said.
Other industry specialists believe the existing administrative framework requires a structural overhaul to alleviate pressure on independent workers.
"The Self Assessment system is creaking because it asks millions of ordinary people to behave like unpaid tax administrators.
Staying up to date matters.
If you miss the July 31 payment on account you can quickly face interest, penalties and nasty cash-flow shocks," said Samuel Mather-Holgate, managing director and IFA at Mather and Murray Financial.
Mather-Holgate advised taxpayers to check their accounts immediately and communicate early if they face financial strain.
"But HMRC cannot keep relying on last-minute nudges and an app to fix a system many people find confusing.
There should be far clearer prompts, plainer language and earlier warnings, especially for the self-employed and side-hustlers," he said.
Industry professionals also warned that neglecting the July payment creates severe financial challenges when the balancing payments fall due early next year.
"Self Assessment needs year-round organization.
The July 31 payment catches people off guard because it lands months after the January rush, just when many self-employed people, landlords and business owners are focused on keeping cash moving through the summer," said Nouran Moustafa, practice principal and IFA at Roxton Wealth.
Moustafa noted that the current publicity surrounding the tax timeline lacks deep explanation, leading to widespread misunderstandings about how payments on account operate.
"Being up to date matters because this is not a bill you can wish away.
Missing it can mean interest, stress and a much bigger problem by January, when the balancing payment and next payment on account can arrive together.
There is publicity, but not enough explanation.
Too many people still misunderstand what a payment on account is, or assume income received is fully theirs to spend," she said.
HMRC announced that from mid-July 2026, about 300,000 customers will see their Child Benefit data pre-populated on online returns.
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Furthermore, the first quarterly submissions under the expanded Making Tax Digital system are due by August 7, 2026.
