Why does the UK tax year start on 6 April each year?

[VectraMan]

Source: Why does the UK tax year start on 6 April each year? « Tax Advisory Partnership

So in summary the UK decided it was too good to follow the common sense approach used the rest of Europe, probably listening to tedious types going on about "sovereignty" and "getting control of our calender"; got into a complete and utter mess before admitting BrusselsRome was right all along and had to resort to a ridiculously complicated fudge to work around it that's still felt hundreds of years later.

At least that sort of thinking doesn't exist today.

[NibblyPig]

I thought it was because of the Christmas period being quite busy and having lots of holidays that the accountants would all be off then and people would be scrabbling to find someone to do their last minute tax returns...

[AtW]

Get a better one then!

He's been working for me more years than the last one got sentenced to

[SimonMac]

I did ... he did not know

Get a better one then!

[AtW]

Have you asked your accountant?

I did ... he did not know

[SimonMac]

Why does the UK tax year start on 6 April each year? Found this cool (probably true) story -

"In typical style, the Treasury was concerned to ensure there would be no loss of tax revenue and no concession to the populous and so it decided that the tax year should remain as 365 days. And so the beginning of the following tax year was moved from 25 March to 5 April and everyone was happy, kind of."

Source: Why does the UK tax year start on 6 April each year? « Tax Advisory Partnership

Have you asked your accountant?

[stek]

I seem to remember reading that Pitt the Elder, or Pitt the Younger, or even Pitt the Foetus or Pitt the Glint in the Milkman's Eye, introduced Income Tax as a temporary measure to fund the Napoleonic Wars with an assurance it would be repealed after the Wars.

Think they forgot the last bit.

Bit right...

Income tax was announced in Britain by William Pitt the Younger in his budget of December 1798 and introduced in 1799, to pay for weapons and equipment in preparation for the Napoleonic Wars. Pitt's new graduated (progressive) income tax began at a levy of 2 old pence in the pound (1/120) on incomes over £60 (£5,641 as of 2016), and increased up to a maximum of 2 shillings (10%) on incomes of over £200. Pitt hoped that the new income tax would raise £10 million, but actual receipts for 1799 totalled just over £6 million.

[AtW]

It's a pity Spanish Inquisition did not get 'em ...

[vetran]

as usual it was all caused by Religion

[stek]

Why does the UK tax year start on 6 April each year? Found this cool (probably true) story -

"In typical style, the Treasury was concerned to ensure there would be no loss of tax revenue and no concession to the populous and so it decided that the tax year should remain as 365 days. And so the beginning of the following tax year was moved from 25 March to 5 April and everyone was happy, kind of."

Source: Why does the UK tax year start on 6 April each year? « Tax Advisory Partnership

I seem to remember reading that Pitt the Elder, or Pitt the Younger, or even Pitt the Foetus or Pitt the Glint in the Milkman's Eye, introduced Income Tax as a temporary measure to fund the Napoleonic Wars with an assurance it would be repealed after the Wars.

Think they forgot the last bit.

[BrilloPad]

I blame the immigrants.

[AtW]

Why does the UK tax year start on 6 April each year? Found this cool (probably true) story -

"In typical style, the Treasury was concerned to ensure there would be no loss of tax revenue and no concession to the populous and so it decided that the tax year should remain as 365 days. And so the beginning of the following tax year was moved from 25 March to 5 April and everyone was happy, kind of."

Source: Why does the UK tax year start on 6 April each year? « Tax Advisory Partnership