April 19, 2026 · 1 min read

CT600 Corporation Tax for small-company directors, explained

Last reviewed by the Ballards Online editorial team.

Filing and payment dates

CT600 is due 12 months after your accounting period ends. Corporation Tax is payable 9 months and 1 day after the period end — so tax is due before the return itself. Plan your cash accordingly.

The rates from April 2023

  • Profits up to £50,000 — 19% (small profits rate).
  • Profits above £250,000 — 25% (main rate).
  • Profits between £50,000 and £250,000 — marginal relief applies (effectively 26.5% on the slice).

Reliefs worth claiming

  • Annual Investment Allowance — 100% first-year relief on plant & machinery up to £1m.
  • R&D tax relief — for companies carrying out qualifying development, now on the merged scheme.
  • Loss relief — carry trading losses back 1 year, forward indefinitely.

See our CT600 service for fixed-fee preparation and HMRC submission.