Salary sacrifice
Re-run the higher-rate and ANI trade-offs
Autumn is a good point to decide whether a late-year pension increase is fixing a real threshold problem or just looking neat on a spreadsheet.
The autumn 2026 dates that matter
This autumn is unusually dated. Seven fixed points decide what your bills, pension and tax look like going into 2027 — put these in the calendar first, then work through the checklist below.
| Date | What happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Aug (done) | Ofgem confirmed the October–December cap at £1,723 a year for typical dual-fuel Direct Debit use — up £60, or 4%, on £1,663. The rise is almost all gas (+8%); electricity is flat because its VAT drops 5% → 0% on 1 October. | Check whether a fix beats the new cap — October cap guide. |
| 1 Sept | Student loan interest resets for the year: Plan 2 capped at 6%, Plan 5 and Plan 1 at RPI (4.1%). | Sense-check any overpayment plan — student loans guide. |
| 15 Sept | ONS publishes the May–July earnings figure — the number that usually sets the April 2027 State Pension rise. | See what it means for the triple lock — April 2027 forecast. |
| 17 Sept | The Bank of England's MPC announces its next Bank Rate decision. | Savers and remortgagers: understand what moves — base rate explained. |
| 1 Oct | The new energy cap takes effect — and VAT on domestic electricity is cut from 5% to 0% until 31 March 2027. | Re-check your direct debit against actual usage. |
| 5 Oct | Deadline to register for Self Assessment if you had new untaxed income in 2025/26 — including side-hustle income HMRC now sees via platform reporting. | Check if you need to register — side hustle checker. |
| 28 Oct | The Autumn Budget. Rates, thresholds, ISAs, pensions and IHT are all in scope. | Watch what is confirmed vs rumoured — Budget tracker. |
Check the payroll and pension choices before winter
Tax code drift
Check for payroll mess while there is time to fix it
Second jobs, new benefits, new employers and odd bonus months can all create avoidable confusion if you leave the payslip review too late.
Use autumn to watch policy changes without overreacting
Budget context
Translate announcements into actions, not panic
Use the current-year updates pages to work out what actually changes now, what is only proposed, and which calculators or guides need reopening.
Business and admin
Revisit the Self Assessment and reserve plan
If you have side income or self-employed earnings, autumn is the right time to check the reserve pot before January suddenly becomes close.
Review the investing plan before year-end noise takes over
Wrapper fit
Check whether the account structure still makes sense
Autumn is a good moment to revisit ISA, GIA and pension flow rather than waiting until March and trying to do all the thinking at once.
Portfolio role
Check whether the ETF sleeve is still doing the right job
If the portfolio has drifted into a US tilt, a yield chase, or a too-clever modular setup by accident, now is when to notice.
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