Is tax due when earned or when paid?

PensionsQuery

My current employer pays one month in arrears i.e. if I work 21 Days in November, I'll get paid around the 28th December.

My contract ends on March 31st and so my final payment will be April 28 2025 - will that be allocated to the current tax year (the year in which the work was completed) or to the next tax year (the year in which it will be received)?

I've tried to Google but there were differing answers.

Thank you

Dazed_and_C0nfused

PensionsQuery said:

My current employer pays one month in arrears i.e. if I work 21 Days in November, I'll get paid around the 28th December.

My contract ends on March 31st and so my final payment will be April 28 2025 - will that be allocated to the current tax year (the year in which the work was completed) or to the next tax year (the year in which it will be received)?

I've tried to Google but there were differing answers.

Thank you

It's when it is paid, so in the 2025-26 tax year.

MeteredOut

I'd also expect your payslip to have a date that aligns with payment date, and when the tax is due. It might also have something like "Tax Period" which says which month within the tax year it relates to. eg, November is month 8, April is month 1.

PensionsQuery

Thank you both for the quick and helpful responses