What quarter is it?
Q4
of 2026
Today is Thursday 1 October 2026. Q1 is January to March, Q2 April to June, Q3 July to September and Q4 October to December.
Quarter dates for 2026 and 2027
| Quarter | Starts | Ends | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 2026 | Thu 1 Jan 2026 | Tue 31 Mar 2026 | 90 |
| Q2 2026 | Wed 1 Apr 2026 | Tue 30 Jun 2026 | 91 |
| Q3 2026 | Wed 1 Jul 2026 | Wed 30 Sep 2026 | 92 |
| Q4 2026 | Thu 1 Oct 2026 | Thu 31 Dec 2026 | 92 |
| Q1 2027 | Fri 1 Jan 2027 | Wed 31 Mar 2027 | 90 |
| Q2 2027 | Thu 1 Apr 2027 | Wed 30 Jun 2027 | 91 |
| Q3 2027 | Thu 1 Jul 2027 | Thu 30 Sep 2027 | 92 |
| Q4 2027 | Fri 1 Oct 2027 | Fri 31 Dec 2027 | 92 |
Q1 has 91 days in a leap year such as 2028. In both 2026 and 2027 the quarters have 64, 65, 66 and 66 weekdays, before bank holidays. Q4 2026 covers ISO weeks 40 to 53; check the current week number, or see each month in the 2026 calendar and 2027 calendar.
UK financial year quarters
The UK government’s financial year runs from 1 April to 31 March, so its Q1 is April to June, Q2 July to September, Q3 October to December and Q4 January to March. By that count, October 2026 is in Q3 of 2026/27. The personal tax year is slightly different: 6 April to 5 April.
Companies set their own financial year. It ends on the company’s accounting reference date, which can be changed through Companies House. When a company reports “Q1 results”, it means the first quarter of its own year, which may not be January to March.
VAT quarters
Most VAT-registered businesses send a return every three months. To spread the returns across the year, HMRC puts each business in one of three groups, called staggers, with quarters ending in:
- March, June, September and December
- April, July, October and January
- May, August, November and February
The return and payment are usually due one calendar month and 7 days after the quarter ends, so a quarter ending on 31 December 2026 is due by 7 February 2027. Your own periods are in your VAT online account; see GOV.UK: submit a VAT return.
Quarter days
Quarter days are the traditional dates when rent fell due and leases began. Some commercial leases still use them.
| Quarter day | England, Wales and Northern Ireland | Scotland |
|---|---|---|
| First | Lady Day, 25 March | Candlemas, 28 February |
| Second | Midsummer Day, 24 June | Whitsunday, 28 May |
| Third | Michaelmas, 29 September | Lammas, 28 August |
| Fourth | Christmas Day, 25 December | Martinmas, 28 November |
The Scottish dates were fixed at the 28th of the month by the Term and Quarter Days (Scotland) Act 1990. Of the four, Whitsunday and Martinmas are the term days.
Frequently asked questions
What quarter is October in?
October is in Q4 of the calendar year, which runs from 1 October to 31 December. In the UK government financial year, which starts in April, October is in Q3.
When does Q4 2026 start and end?
Q4 2026 starts on Thursday 1 October 2026 and ends on Thursday 31 December 2026. It has 92 days.
What are the dates of Q1 2027?
Q1 2027 runs from Friday 1 January to Wednesday 31 March 2027, a total of 90 days.
What are the English quarter days?
Lady Day (25 March), Midsummer Day (24 June), Michaelmas (29 September) and Christmas Day (25 December).
What are the Scottish term and quarter days?
Candlemas (28 February), Whitsunday (28 May), Lammas (28 August) and Martinmas (28 November). Whitsunday and Martinmas are the term days.