What's so special about 5th April?

Why do we have a tax year which ends on 5th April, with the next one starting on 6th April? It's unusual and it goes back to Roman times.

The Roman year finished in March. That's the original reason why tax is collected in the Spring. A big tax expert tells me this gives a new meaning to "beware the Ides of March".

In medieval times rents and debts fell due on Quarter Days: Lady Day on 25th March, Midsummer in June, Michaelmas in September and Christmas Day.

Lady Day, marking Mary being told she would give birth to Jesus, was the big one, partly because it coincided with Roman tradition. A lot of legal agreements started then.

Oops! But the actual calendar was wrong. The year was ever so slightly the wrong length. So in 1752 the UK adopted the more precise Gregorian Calendar.

Taking the Gregorian route meant adding 11 days to the date. And the start of the tax year was moved to 5th April, then later to 6th April.

Why move the tax year? Well, the government still wanted to get a full year of tax out of the public, of course. That meant a later start.

So the financial year has started on 6th April ever since, unlike US, France, Germany (1st Jan), Australia (1st July) and some countries which use 1st April.

Santander branches closing

Branch	Address	Branch closure date
Aberdeen George Street	99 George Street, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, AB25 1HU	7 November 2019
Acton	156 High Street, Acton, London, W3 6RF	27 June 2019
Aldershot	103 High Street, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 1BY	16 May 2019
Alloa	69 Mill Street, Alloa, Clackmannanshire, FK10 1DX	6 June 2019
Amersham	51 Sycamore Road, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, HP6 5EQ	20 June 2019
Ammanford	2 Quay Street, Ammanford, Dyfed, SA18 3DB	30 May 2019
Antrim	46 High Street, Antrim, County Antrim, BT41 4BX	30 May 2019
Axminster	West Street, Axminster, Devon, EX13 5NU	2 May 2019
Aylsham	1 Red Lion Street, Aylsham, Norfolk, NR11 6ER	4 July 2019
Ballymoney	16 Church Street, Ballymoney, County Antrim, BT53 6DL	16 May 2019
Bathgate George Street	14 George Street, Bathgate, West Lothian, EH48 1PW	25 April 2019
Belfast Newtownards Road	423-425 Newtownards Road, Belfast, County Antrim, BT4 1AT	20 June 2019
Berkhamsted	230 High Street, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, HP4 1BP	20 June 2019
Bideford	16 The Quay, Bideford, Devon, EX39 2EB	25 April 2019
Birmingham New Street	69 New Street, Birmingham, West Midlands, B2 4DU	25 July 2019
Birmingham Acocks Green	1109 Warwick Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham, West Midlands, B27 6RA	2 May 2019
Birstall	661 Loughborough Road, Birstall, Leicestershire, LE4 4NL	27 June 2019
Boscombe Christchurch Road	630 Christchurch Road, Boscombe, Dorset, BH1 4BP	13 June 2019
Brechin	24 St David Street, Brechin, Angus, DD9 6EQ	9 May 2019
Brixham	14 Fore Street, Brixham, Devon, TQ5 8JJ	30 May 2019
Broadstone	214 Lower Blandford Road, Broadstone, Dorset, BH18 8DX	9 May 2019
Burnley Briercliffe Road	Briercliffe Road, Burnley, Lancashire, BB10 1UR	27 June 2019
Buxton	73 Spring Gardens, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 6DN	27 June 2019
Chandlers Ford	1 & 2 The Mall, Winchester Road, Chandlers Ford, Hampshire, SO53 2QD	11 July 2019
Cheam	8 The Broadway, Cheam, Surrey, SM3 8AY	6 June 2019
Clapham High Street	164 Clapham High Street, Clapham, London, SW4 7TZ	2 May 2019
Cleethorpes	43 St Peters Avenue, Cleethorpes, South Humberside, DN35 8JQ	4 July 2019
Clitheroe	1 Castle Street, Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7 2BT	25 April 2019
Coalville	14 Belvoir Road, Coalville, Leicestershire, LE67 3PE	11 July 2019
Cockermouth	9 Station Street, Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 9QW	2 May 2019
Cockfosters	10 Station Parade, Cockfosters, Hertfordshire, EN4 0DL	16 May 2019
Colchester Culver Street West	23 Culver Street West, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1JG	7 November 2019
Corby	3 Spencer Court, Corby, Northamptonshire, NN17 1NU	25 April 2019
Coventry High Street	29 High Street, Waters Court, Coventry, Warwickshire, CV1 5RE	7 November 2019
Crosby	84 Coronation Road, Crosby, Merseyside, L23 5RH	13 June 2019
Crouch End	5 The Broadway, Crouch End, London, N8 8DS	4 July 2019
Devizes	4 St Johns Street, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 1BP	16 May 2019
Didcot	146 Broadway, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 8SH	4 July 2019
Dorchester	3 Cornhill, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1BA	27 June 2019
Dorking	22 South Street, Dorking, Surrey, RH4 2QW	18 July 2019
Driffield	49 Market Place, Driffield, East Yorkshire, YO25 6AW	30 May 2019
East Sheen	347 Upper Richmond Road West, East Sheen, London, SW14 8RH	25 July 2019
Eastcote	137 Field End Road, Eastcote, Middlesex, HA5 1QN	25 April 2019
Edinburgh Leith Walk	15-21 Leith Walk, Edinburgh, Lothian, EH6 8LN	9 May 2019
Edinburgh 194-196 Morningside Road	194-196 Morningside Road, Edinburgh, Lothian, EH10 4TD	12 December 2019
Egham	45 High Street, Egham, Surrey, TW20 9DP	30 May 2019
Epping	273-275 High Street, Epping, Essex, CM16 4DP	6 June 2019
Esher	41-43 High Street, Esher, Surrey, KT10 9SQ	27 June 2019
Feltham	32-34 The Centre, Feltham, Middlesex, TW13 4AU	11 July 2019
Fleetwood	76 Lord Street, Fleetwood, Lancashire, FY7 6UN	27 June 2019
Forfar	83 Castle Street, Forfar, Angus, DD8 3AG	25 July 2019
Four Oaks	290 Lichfield Road, Four Oaks, West Midlands, B74 2UG	9 May 2019
Gainsborough	11-13 Market Street, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, DN21 2BL	13 June 2019
Gerrards Cross	75 Packhorse Road, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, SL9 8QP	23 May 2019
Glasgow Forge Shopping Centre	Forge Shopping Centre, Gallowgate, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, G31 4EB	27 June 2019
Glasgow Springburn Shopping Centre	Springburn Shopping Centre, Springburn Way, Glasgow, Lanarkshire G21 1TP	20 June 2019
Godalming	104 High Street, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 1HG	6 June 2019
Goole	31 Boothferry Road, Goole, East Yorkshire, DN14 5DE	13 June 2019
Gracechurch Street	51-54 Gracechurch Street, London City, London, EC3V 0EH	25 April 2019
Guildford High Street	166 High Street, Guildford, Surrey GU1 3HR	12 December 2019
Hadleigh	253 London Road, Hadleigh, Essex, SS7 2RF	23 May 2019
Haslemere	93e Weyhill, Haslemere, Surrey, GU27 1HS	25 April 2019
Havant	7d West Street, Havant, Hampshire, PO9 1EH	25 July 2019
Heathfield	56 High Street, Heathfield, East Sussex, TN21 8JQ	13 June 2019
Helensburgh	1-3 West Princess Street, Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, G84 8TW	25 April 2019
Henley-On-Thames	18 Duke Street, Henley-On-Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 1UT	30 May 2019
Holt	29 Market Place, Holt, Norfolk, NR25 6BE	13 June 2019
Hythe	63 High Street, Hythe, Kent, CT21 5AJ	6 June 2019
Keynsham	67 High Street, Keynsham, Avon, BS31 1DL	4 July 2019
Kingswinford	1 Moss Grove, Kingswinford, West Midlands, DY6 9HS	6 June 2019
Kirkcaldy High Street	133 High Street, Kirkcaldy, Fife, KY1 1LR	13 June 2019
Knutsford	39-41 Princess Street, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 6BW	6 June 2019
Lanark	112 High Street, Lanark, Lanarkshire, ML11 7ES	4 July 2019
Leather Lane	10a Leather Lane, High Holborn, London, EC1N 7YH	12 December 2019
Leeds Street Lane	77 Street Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS8 1BN	4 July 2019
Leicester Evington Road	136 Evington Road, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE2 1HL	13 June 2019
Leicester Uppingham Road	265 Uppingham Road, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE5 4DG	9 May 2019
Liverpool Church Street	84 Church Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 3AY	7 November 2019
Llangefni	14 High Street, Llangefni, Gwynedd, LL77 7YZ	4 July 2019
Ludgate Circus	11 Ludgate Circus, Ludgate Circus, London, EC4M 7LQ	27 June 2019
Lymington	96 High Street, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 9AP	25 July 2019
Manchester Cross Street	28/34 Cross Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M2 7AQ	5 December 2019
Marylebone High Street	27 Marylebone High Street, Central London, London, W1U 4AD	16 May 2019
Middleton	Colmar House, Manchester New Road, Middleton, Greater Manchester, M24 4DB	25 July 2019
Monmouth	28 Agincourt Square, Monmouth, Monmouthshire, NP25 3BT	30 May 2019
Morden	52 London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DL	9 May 2019
Newmarket	104 High Street, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 8JQ	30 May 2019
North Shields	103 Bedford Street, North Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE29 6PQ	9 May 2019
Northwood	42/44 Green Lane, Northwood, Middlesex, HA6 2QB	16 May 2019
Norwich St Stephens Street	28 St Stephens Street, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 3SH	12 December 2019
Nottingham 2 Clumber Street	2 Clumber Street, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG1 3GA	12 December 2019
Oakham	6/8 Market Place, Oakham, Leicestershire, LE15 6DT	25 April 2019
Otley	15-17 Kirkgate, Otley, West Yorkshire, LS21 3HN	16 May 2019
Oxted	135 Station Road East, Oxted, Surrey, RH8 0QD	16 May 2019
Parkstone	213 Ashley Road, Parkstone, Dorset, BH14 9EG	18 July 2019
Pembroke	15 Main Street, Pembroke, Dyfed, SA71 4JS	9 May 2019
Penarth	4-4a Windsor Road, Penarth, South Glamorgan, CF64 1JH	2 May 2019
Plymouth New George Street	78 New George Street, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 1EF	5 December 2019
Portobello Road	174 Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London, W11 2EB	25 July 2019
Portslade	34 Station Road, Portslade, East Sussex, BN41 1HR	23 May 2019
Purley	938 Brighton Road, Purley, Surrey, CR8 2LP	20 June 2019
Queensway	170 Queensway, Queensway, London, W2 6NT	25 April 2019
Ramsbottom	29 Bolton Street, Ramsbottom, Lancashire, BL0 9HU	20 June 2019
Rayners Lane	412-414 Rayners Lane, Rayners Lane, Harrow, Middlesex, HA5 5HA	4 July 2019
Reigate	26 High Street, Reigate, Surrey, RH2 9AZ	13 June 2019
Renfrew	7 High Street, Renfrew, Renfrewshire, PA4 8HY	18 July 2019
Ripon	15 Fishergate, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 1EA	6 June 2019
Romsey	14 Market Place, Romsey, Hampshire, SO51 8QS	18 July 2019
Ryde	34 High Street, Ryde, Isle Of Wight, PO33 2HL	6 June 2019
Selby Market Cross	22 Market Cross Shopping Centre, Selby, North Yorkshire, YO8 4JS	16 May 2019
Selsdon	174 Addington Road, Selsdon, Surrey, CR2 8YL	25 July 2019
Shoreham	35-37 High Street, Shoreham By Sea, West Sussex, BN43 5DD	2 May 2019
Shrewsbury High Street	20 High Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 1SJ	5 December 2019
Sidmouth	Fore Street, Sidmouth, Devon, EX10 8HU	20 June 2019
Skipton High Street	67 High Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 1DS	18 July 2019
South Woodham Ferrers	12-14 Chandlers Way, South Woodham Ferrers, Essex, CM3 5TA	2 May 2019
Southend High Street	27 High Street, Southend-On-Sea, Essex, SS1 1JD	7 November 2019
St Andrews	145 Market Street, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9PZ	2 May 2019
Stanmore	17 Church Road, Stanmore, Middlesex, HA7 4BW	2 May 2019
Stowmarket	16 Market Place, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 1DP	25 July 2019
Swiss Cottage	8 Harben Parade, Finchley Road, Swiss Cottage, London, NW3 6JP	9 May 2019
Tavistock	49 Brook Street, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 0BJ	23 May 2019
Tonypandy	121 Dunraven Street, Tonypandy, Mid Glamorgan, CF40 1AS	11 July 2019
Totnes	58/60 Fore Street, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 5RU	27 June 2019
Troon	17 Portland Street, Troon, Ayrshire, KA10 6AZ	18 July 2019
Ulverston	17 New Market Street, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 7LQ	30 May 2019
Upminster	21 Corbets Tey Road, Upminster, Essex, RM14 2JS	13 June 2019
Wandsworth	127-129 High Street, Wandsworth, London, SW18 4JB	30 May 2019
Ware	55 High Street, Ware, Hertfordshire, SG12 9BA	11 July 2019
Watford Harlequin Centre	15-17 Queens Road, The Harlequin Centre, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD17 2LJ	7 November 2019
Wealdstone	25 High Street, Wealdstone, Harrow, Middlesex, HA3 5DJ	20 June 2019
West Ealing	114 The Broadway, West Ealing, London, W13 0SY	9 May 2019
West Kirby	32 Grange Road, West Kirby, Merseyside, CH48 4HS	20 June 2019
Wetherby	41 High Street, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, LS22 6LR	16 May 2019
Windermere	8 Crescent Road, Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 1EA	23 May 2019
Wisbech	39 Market Place, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, PE13 1DP	2 May 2019
Woodley	107 Crockhamwell Road, Woodley, Berkshire, RG5 3SL	4 July 2019
Worcester Park	101 Central Road, Worcester Park, Surrey, KT4 8DP	20 June 2019
Workington	60 Pow Street, Workington, Cumbria, CA14 3AB	6 June 2019
Yeadon	25 High Street, Yeadon, West Yorkshire, LS19 7SP	25 July 2019