Your Self Assessment statement: how to read it

Your Self Assessment statement is HMRC’s running account of what you owe and what you have paid. It lists each charge, such as a balancing payment or a payment on account, and each payment you made, marked CR. The figure that matters most is the amount to pay, which includes anything due within 45 days of the statement date.

What is a Self Assessment statement?

A Self Assessment statement is HMRC’s summary of your tax account. GOV.UK calls it “a summary of what you owe and payments you have made”. HMRC sends one after you file your return or if your circumstances change, either online or by post.

It is not the same as your tax calculation. The SA302 tax calculation shows how the tax for one year was worked out. The statement shows the money side: what is due, when, and what you have already paid. See our guide to the SA302 and tax year overview for the calculation.

What does each part of the statement show?

According to GOV.UK’s statement guidance, your statement shows:

• the tax you owe when the statement is sent
• any payments on account due
• payments you have made, marked CR
• amounts outstanding from earlier years, or interest
• your balancing payment, if your payments on account did not cover the tax you owe

Common statement lines and what they mean

HMRC’s internal manual (SAM130062) lists the item types used on statements. These are the ones most people see.

A credit marked CR reduces what you owe. HMRC sets credits against charges that are due. Any credit not matched to a charge shows as an unallocated payment balance.

How to work out what you have to pay

The amount to pay is the number to check first. HMRC’s manual says it includes charges due now plus charges becoming due within 45 days of the statement date.

1. Find the amount to pay box. This is the total HMRC expects next.
2. Check the dates against each charge. For 2025/26, the balancing payment and first 2026/27 payment on account are due by 31 January 2027.
3. Check that every payment you made appears as CR.
4. Add any second payment on account, due 31 July 2027, to your cash flow plan.
5. Pay using your reference: your 10-digit UTR followed by K. Our guide to how to pay a Self Assessment bill covers each method.

Worked example of payments on account

GOV.UK gives this example. Your bill for 2023/24 was £3,000 and you made two payments on account of £900 in 2024.

So the January statement asks for £2,700, not the £1,200 balance alone. If you made no payments on account the year before, you would pay £4,500 by 31 January 2025. Try our payments on account calculator with your own figures, and read payments on account explained.

You do not need payments on account if last year’s tax was under £1,000, or if more than 80% of your tax was paid outside Self Assessment, for example through your tax code.

What the messages on your statement mean

HMRC prints a message at the foot of the statement. Its manual (SAM133010) lists seven. The most common are:

• “Interest is running on the amount to pay. Please pay it now.” Tax is overdue and interest is being added.
• Pay by the due date. A charge is becoming due. Pay on time to avoid interest.
• Net credit balance. You are in credit, but any refund is only paid once other amounts owed are cleared.
• “The amount to pay is small.” Below £32 on a periodic statement, the sum rolls forward to the next statement, though interest may apply.

Late payment interest is charged at Bank Rate plus 4%. HMRC’s interest rates page, updated 6 November 2026, shows 7.75%, rising to 8% from 24 November 2026.

How to view your statement online

You can see your statement at any time in your HMRC online account. GOV.UK gives these steps:

1. Sign in to your HMRC online account.
2. Select your latest Self Assessment return.
3. Select “View statements”.

If you file late or close to the deadline, the paper statement may arrive after you need to pay. Use your SA302 or your online account balance instead.

What to do now

• Check that every payment you made since last January shows as CR.
• If your 2026/27 income will fall, consider claiming to reduce payments on account online or on form SA303. You pay interest if the final bill turns out higher.
• If you cannot pay in full by 31 January 2027, consider a budget payment plan or Time to Pay.
• If the statement shows a credit, see HMRC tax refund timescales.

Frequently asked questions

What does CR mean on my Self Assessment statement?

CR marks a credit, which is usually a payment you have made. It reduces the amount you owe.

Why is my statement asking for more than my tax bill?

It usually includes your first payment on account for the next tax year as well as the balancing payment. Both are due on 31 January.

What is the difference between the statement and the SA302?

The SA302 shows how your tax for one year was calculated. The statement shows what is due, when, and what you have paid across your account.

What payment reference do I use?

Use your 10-digit Unique Taxpayer Reference followed by the letter K. That makes an 11-character reference.

My statement has not arrived. What should I do?

Check your HMRC online account, which shows the same figures. If you filed late, the statement may not arrive before the 31 January deadline.