Key money dates for May 2026

May’s almost arrived, and between bank holidays and barbecues, there are still a few important money dates you’ll want on your radar.

It’s not as packed as April, but there are some key changes and deadlines that could affect you.

Here’s what’s coming up.

1 May - new rules for renters

From 1 May, if you rent in England, you’ll start to see changes under the renters’ rights act 2025.

What does this mean for you?

You’ll get stronger rights and protections, including:

• no more section 21 (no-fault) evictions
• no more bidding wars through estate agents
• your landlord can only raise your rent once a year
• you’ll have more rights to keep pets
• landlords can’t refuse you just because you have children or claim benefits
• a new database of landlords and rental properties
• a new landlord ombudsman to handle complaints
• landlords will need three months of rent arrears, not two, before starting eviction action
• if your landlord wants to sell, they must give you four months’ notice

1 May - £10 daily fines for late tax returns

If you file a self-assessment and missed the 31 January deadline for the 2024-25 tax year, this is when things get more serious.

What happens now:

• you’ll be charged £10 per day from 1 May
• this can continue for up to 90 days, up to £900 total
• you’ve already been charged the initial £100 late penalty
• if you’re still late after six months, you could face extra charges of £300 or 5% of the tax owed

You should file your return as soon as possible, to stop these daily penalties from accumulating.

If you had a good reason for missing the deadline, you can appeal.

4 May – bank holiday

If you’re expecting a benefit payment on Monday 4 May, you’ll likely get it early instead.

New payment date: Friday 1 May

If your benefit payment is due on a bank holiday, you won’t be left waiting. In most cases, you’ll be paid early instead of late.

Which benefits are affected?

DWP payments

If you receive any of the following, your payment may arrive early:

• state pension
• universal credit
• personal independence payment (PIP)
• attendance allowance
• carer’s allowance
• employment support allowance (ESA)
• income support
• jobseeker’s allowance (JSA)
• pension credit

HMRC payments

• child benefit
• guardian’s allowance

You don’t need to do anything, as everything is handled automatically.

21 May – possible Nationwide bonus

If you bank with Nationwide, you might get a £100 ‘Fairer Share’ payment.

This usually applies if you have a mix of:

• a current account
• savings
• a mortgage with them

The exact details, including whether you’ll qualify this year, will be announced on 21 May.

25 May – bank holiday

Another bank holiday means another possible early payment.

If you’re due money on Monday 25 May, you’ll likely get it on Friday 22 May instead.

27 May - Ofgem price cap announcement

The regulator Ofgem will announce the new energy price cap on this date.

Why this matters:

• it sets typical energy costs for households
• the new rate will apply from July for three months

Right now, the price cap is currently set at £1,641 a year for the average dual fuel household paying by direct debit.. Forecasts suggest it could rise to around £1,837.

If you’re worried about bills, this is one to keep an eye on.

31 May – P60 deadline

By 31 May, your employer must give you your P60.

Why you should check yours:

• it shows your total earnings and tax paid
• you’ll need it if you’re applying for a mortgage or loan
• it helps you spot if you’ve overpaid tax

If something looks wrong, like your tax code, this is your chance to catch it.

Try our household bills calculator

When you’re worrying about the impact of rising costs, it can help to see the bigger picture.

Our free and interactive household bills calculator gives you a personalised forecast of how your monthly costs could change.

It only takes a couple of minutes to use and shows how bills may change based on where you live.

Once you’ve done this, you can take the next step by using our handy budget planner to map out your monthly finances. 

It’s free and easy to use.

And if you’re struggling to keep up with household bills, remember that you might be entitled to some support.

We can check you’re getting all the benefits you’re eligible to claim with our benefits calculator.