Can any of you experienced UK authors advise how you account for royalty payments with HMRC? Do they count from the date you receive them or from the period they relate to (assuming two different tax periods)?

They count from when they actually get paid to you. (Although that includes the date they get paid to your agent - it doesn't work to ask your agent not to forward it to you till after April 6th, in other words).

The Society of Authors has a Tax Helpline for authors, and Guides about tax which anyone can get hold of:

http://www.societyofauthors.org/guides-and-articles

 

Thanks very much, Emma. That's really helpful.

If the payments are small then they can be offset by your costs (losses) (especially if you've self published) so there will be no tax to pay. 
Edited by NMott at 11:02:00 on 04 July 2014