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Self-employed and behind on HMRC

Falling behind with tax as a sole trader is very common — and very fixable if you act early.

Debts for the Self-Employed3 min readReviewed July 2026

File returns on time even if you can't pay. Missed returns attract penalties on top of the tax and make Time to Pay harder to agree.

Time to Pay can spread most tax debts over 12 months (sometimes longer). Realistic monthly figures work better than optimistic ones.

A debt help team member can look at HMRC alongside any personal debts and pick the solution that treats the whole picture.

General information, not personalised adviceThis article is written to inform. It isn't personalised debt or legal advice, and Debt Compass is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. A team member can talk you through the options and point you to a free debt help service or authorised insolvency practitioner before you decide on anything.