If you’re self-employed it only takes a few minutes to do this, it’s also free, secure and saves having to print any forms so let’s get started!
First, here’s a quick reminder about self-assessment: you’ll need to register for self-assessment and pay tax on any earnings over a thousand pounds that haven’t been taxed already.
You’re self-employed if you work for yourself as an individual or as a solo business.
If you’re self-employed you may have people working for you but you are the person responsible for the business and any losses; this might mean you sell goods and services or you could be a freelancer contractor a consultant seasonal worker a coach, content creator you name it, the important bit is that however you earn money if it’s over a thousand pounds and isn’t taxed at source you’ll need to register for self-assessment and complete a tax return and if you want to you can register as self-employed even if your income is a thousand pounds or less then you can pay voluntary Class 2 National Insurance or record any loss.
To use HMRC online services you need a government Gateway account; if you’ve already got one have your user ID and password ready.
If not don’t worry you’ll just need to create your sign-in details it’s easy to do this go to gov.uk search sign in to your HMRC business tax account and follow the link, you’ll see an option to create sign-in details doing this is quick and then you’re ready to go.
Now you’ll need to sign in using a business tax account select get online access to a tax due to your scheme and choose the self-assessment option from this list.
HMRC will then ask if you have a self-assessment unique taxpayer reference known as a UTR. You’re registering for the first time so just select no then continue, now select individual or sole Trader to describe yourself then yes to being self-employed tick the self-assessment box then choose next here select the first option as your business type next enter the date you started working for yourself then make sure you’ve got your National Insurance number and contact details ready for this next bit.
You’ll see a checklist of the sections you need to fill in.
If you want somebody else to complete view or amend your registration you can set up a delegate using the link on the right for example if you have a bookkeeper, accountant or tax agent.
The video here carries on without doing this delegate bit, but the process is easy to follow if you want to set this up for them.
Enter your personal details and once you’ve filled everything in, select next which will take you back to the registration summary.
HMRC now need more information about you and your business so add in your contact details in about you, select next when you filled out this section and you’ll see a summary of your personal details this information if you spot something that isn’t correct change it here and once you’re ready select next now tell HMRC some details about your business and confirm if your business address is the same as your home address if the address is different you can select this in the drop down and enter it now tell HMRC your business contact details including your business email address HMRC need this so they can send you a receipt of your registration.
Check everything is correct on this summary page; there’s a link under each section if you need to change anything it’s simpler if you leave this last box unticked that way HMRC can set up and activate the self-assessment online service for your business and once you’re happy with the details just select next.
