3 Irish Tax Updates Every Accounting Practice Should Plan For (October 2026)

Update 1: 6 October 2026, Budget 2027

Budget 2027 will be delivered on Tuesday 6 October 2026 by Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris and Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers. It is Minister Harris’s first Budget as Minister for Finance.

The Summer Economic Statement, published on 22 July 2026, set the overall package at €8.5 billion:

• about €7 billion in additional public spending
• about €1.5 billion in tax measures.

What is not yet known

The split of the €1.5 billion between income tax, USC, tax credits and other reliefs has not been confirmed, and nothing is decided until Budget Day. Pre-Budget commentary is speculation, not policy. Advisers are watching personal tax bands, credits and USC, plus possible changes for business owners such as capital gains tax reliefs and support for scaling companies.

When Budget changes apply

Income tax, USC and tax credit changes usually take effect from 1 January of the following year. A change announced on 6 October would typically first show in payslips from January 2027, not from the next pay run. Other measures can have different start dates, so check each measure’s commencement date.

Update 2: 31 October 2026, Pay and File deadline (Form 11)

For the 2025 tax year, self-assessed clients (sole traders, proprietary directors and those with significant non-PAYE income) must do three things by 31 October 2026:

1. File the 2025 Form 11
2. Pay any 2025 balance of income tax
3. Pay 2026 preliminary tax

Preliminary tax

Preliminary tax is generally at least 90% of the 2026 liability or 100% of the 2025 liability. Check the current options before advising a client, especially where income is falling or rising sharply.

The ROS extension

Revenue has confirmed Wednesday 18 November 2026 as the extended date. It applies only where the client both files and pays through ROS. If only one of the two is done through ROS, the 31 October deadline stands.

The same extended date applies to Capital Acquisitions Tax returns and payments for gifts and inheritances with valuation dates in the year ending 31 August 2026.

Late filing surcharges

The standard surcharge is 5% of the tax due (capped at €12,695) if the return is up to two months late, and 10% (capped at €63,485) if it is later. Some online sources quote different figures, so confirm the current rates on Revenue’s website before quoting them to clients.

Update 3: 9% VAT rate since 1 July 2026

From 1 July 2026, the VAT rate on food and catering businesses and hairdressing services fell from 13.5% to 9%. For affected clients, check:

• Tax codes in the accounting software and POS systems
• Invoices and menus showing the correct rate
• VAT return coding for periods that straddle 1 July, particularly bi-monthly returns
• Pricing decisions, since the change affects margins and cash flow

Errors here tend to surface at the next VAT return or a Revenue review, so it is worth checking sooner rather than later.

Practical checklist for your practice

1. Collect Form 11 information now, not in the last week of October.
2. Confirm preliminary tax figures before 31 October.
3. Check ROS is used for both filing and payment for every client relying on the 18 November date.
4. Prepare a short Budget-day summary for clients on 6 October.
5. Plan a follow-up note once the measures are confirmed, with dates and actions.
6. Review VAT treatment for hospitality and hairdressing clients.

How outsourcing can help

The October rush puts pressure on bookkeeping, reconciliations and return preparation at the same time. At LekhaWekha (AskUs Consultants LLP), we support accounting practices in Ireland, the UK and the USA with outsourced bookkeeping, VAT support and compliance work, so your team can keep its focus on advisory work and client relationships.

Visit lekhawekha.com to discuss extra capacity for the busy season.