Economic Crime Levy (ECL): what UK businesses need to know for payments due in September 2026 and September 2027

Economic Crime Levy (ECL): overview, recent changes and key compliance deadlines

The Economic Crime Levy (ECL) is a UK charge payable by certain businesses that are regulated for anti‑money laundering (AML) purposes. It is payable annually and is based on a business’s UK revenue.

This article explains what the ECL is, who must pay it, how it operates following the changes made in April 2026, and what affected businesses need to do to.

Economic Crime Levy (ECL) at a glance: scope, deadlines and charges

Applies to: businesses regulated for anti-money laundering purposes with UK revenue over £10.2 million.

Charging period: Financial year, ie 1 April to 31 March.

Payment deadline: 30 September following the end of the financial year.

Maximum levy:

• £500,000 for financial year starting 1 April 2025.
• £1 million for financial year starting 1 April 2026.

What is the Economic Crime Levy (ECL)?

The ECL was introduced in April 2022 as part of the UK government’s wider economic crime strategy. Its purpose is to provide funding for initiatives aimed at preventing, detecting and responding to economic crime, including money laundering.

Who must pay the Economic Crime Levy (ECL)?

The levy is payable by businesses regulated for AML purposes with UK revenue of more than £10.2 million.

It affects a range of sectors, including (but not limited to) financial institutions, accountants, legal firms, estate agents, casinos and art dealers.

Where a business is part of a group, the levy applies separately to each group member that meets the conditions. Each relevant entity must register, submit an annual return and pay the levy in its own right.

For partnerships, where the levy applies, the nominated partners must submit a return in the name of the partnership.

How much is the Economic Crime Levy (ECL)?

The ECL is a fixed annual charge for a financial year, based on the business’s UK revenue in the accounting period ending in the financial year.

Economic Crime Levy band changes from 1 April 2026

For financial years starting before 1 April 2026, the levy uses the size categories small, medium, large and very large.

For the financial year starting 1 April 2026 onwards, these categories are replaced by bands A to D. A new band C is introduced, and there are significant increases to some of the charges.

Economic Crime Levy charges for financial years starting 1 April 2025 and 1 April 2026 (payments due September 2026 and 2027)

How is UK revenue calculated for Economic Crime Levy purposes?

UK revenue is all revenue generated in the UK in accordance with UK generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). It’s not limited to the turnover from the activity supervised for AML purposes.

How to report and pay the Economic Crime Levy (ECL)?

The levy is collected by HMRC, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) or the Gambling Commission (GC), depending on how the business is supervised for AML purposes. Each of the authorities has different processes for administering the levy.

HMRC collects the levy for most businesses (those not supervised for AML purposes by either the FCA or the GC).

Under HMRC’s processes, a business liable to pay the ECL must submit a return detailing its financial activities and pay the levy by 30 September each year.

Before a business can submit their first return and payment to HMRC they must register for the ECL using HMRC’s online service. They will then receive an ECL registration number which they must use when they submit returns.

Key steps for Economic Crime Levy compliance

Under HMRC’s rules businesses must:

1. Register for the ECL when they first become liable to the levy.
2. Submit an annual return by 30 September following the end of the financial year for which the levy is due.
3. Pay the levy due by 30 September following the end of the financial year for which the levy is due.

Economic Crime Levy compliance example: payment due 30 September 2026

For the financial year from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, the return must be filed and the payment made by 30 September 2026.

How Saffery supports businesses with Economic Crime Levy (ECL) compliance

Our team supports businesses with the levy by:

• Confirming whether the levy applies and which authority collects it,
• Identifying the correct size category or band for each financial year,
• Supporting preparation of levy returns and payments, and
• Helping businesses assess and plan for the increased charges applying from the financial year starting 1 April 2026.

Whether you’re preparing a payment due by 30 September 2026 or reviewing the impact of higher charges due in future years, we can support you.

If you’d like to discuss your position, please speak to your usual Saffery partner or contact us using this form.