Who needs to file a Self Assessment return?
Self Assessment is how HMRC collects Income Tax on income that is not taxed through PAYE. You will usually need to file if you are self-employed, a partner in a business, a landlord, or a company director taking dividends. People with significant savings or investment income, foreign income, capital gains to report, or income from online selling or side projects may also need to file. HMRC's tax return checker is a good starting point if you are unsure.
If you need to file for the first time, HMRC must be told by 5 October following the end of the tax year. Online returns are due by 31 January after the tax year ends, which is also when any balance of tax has to be paid. Missing either date brings penalties, and interest runs on unpaid tax.
What we look after
- Directors' returns, bringing together salary, dividends, benefits in kind and any director's loan issues so the figures match the company's records.
- Sole traders and partners, including working out taxable profit, allowable expenses and capital allowances on equipment and vans.
- Rental income from one or more properties, with mortgage interest and expenses treated correctly.
- Capital gains on shares, investments, second homes or business assets.
- Payments on account, checking whether a reduction is justified and making sure you know what is due in January and July.
- Registration and HMRC authorisation, so we can deal with HMRC on your behalf.
How the process works
- We send you a checklist tailored to your income sources for the tax year.
- You upload your documents securely, or we pull figures from your bookkeeping software.
- We prepare the return, review it for missed reliefs and allowances, and send you a summary of the tax position in plain English.
- Once you approve it, we file the return and confirm the payment dates and amounts.
Starting early matters. Filing well before January gives you months of notice of what you owe, time to budget, and room to ask about spreading payments if needed. If you already know a payment will be difficult, our Time to Pay support can help you approach HMRC.
What we'll ask you for
Your Unique Taxpayer Reference, P60 or P45 and any P11D, dividend vouchers, bank and savings interest statements, pension contribution details, rental statements, and records of any assets you have sold. For sole traders we will need your income and expense records or access to your software. Directors often find it easiest if we also prepare the company's year-end accounts, so personal and company figures line up and dividend planning for the next year can be done at the same time.
If you are a sole trader or landlord, it is also worth checking where you stand on Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, which is changing how many people report their income.
Personal tax help across Kent
We prepare returns for clients throughout Kent, from directors in Maidstone to landlords and consultants in Sevenoaks, and we can work entirely online if that is easier for you. Get in touch with a quick note about your income sources and we will tell you what we need.
Frequently asked questions
I'm a company director paid through PAYE. Do I still need a tax return?
Not automatically. Being a director does not on its own mean you must file, but many directors do because they receive dividends above the dividend allowance, have untaxed income or have been asked to file by HMRC. If HMRC has sent you a notice to file, you must submit a return even if you think no tax is due. We can check your position.
What are payments on account?
If your last Self Assessment bill was above HMRC's threshold and not mostly collected through PAYE, HMRC asks for advance payments towards the next year's tax, due on 31 January and 31 July. Each is normally half of the previous year's bill. If your income has fallen, it may be possible to reduce them, but reducing too far means interest on the shortfall.
I've missed the deadline. What should I do?
File as soon as possible. Late filing penalties increase the longer a return is outstanding, and interest runs on unpaid tax from the due date. We can prepare overdue returns quickly once we have your records, and if HMRC has already charged penalties we can look at whether there are grounds to appeal, such as a reasonable excuse.
Can you file returns for previous years as well?
Yes. If you have missed several years, we can prepare the outstanding returns in order and help you deal with any penalties. If the issue is income you never told HMRC about rather than a late return, our tax disclosure service is usually the better route, as it can reduce penalties compared with waiting for HMRC to find the problem.
Self Assessment Tax Returns across Kent
We help clients throughout the county, including: