Sole traders and landlords must keep records for at least five years after the 31 January submission deadline for the relevant tax year, which in practice means nearly six years from the end of the tax year itself. Limited companies must keep theirs for six years from the end of the accounting period. VAT records must be kept for six years. If a return was filed late, or HMRC has opened an enquiry, the clock runs longer — keep everything until the enquiry is settled. Digital records make this considerably easier, since the retention obligation is discharged by the software rather than by a loft full of boxes. Do not assume your bank fills the gap: most banks only make a few years of statements available, and the duty is yours, not theirs.