Tax Returns for Self-Employed

A hassle-free recovery of your tax overpayments to HMRC. 

If you are self-employed or an employee with business expenses totalling £2,500 or more, you need to complete a tax return, and you may be due a tax rebate.

One of our qualified, experienced tax specialists will file your tax return with HMRC. At ADVANCE we offer a professional tax return completion service that can calculate and help you obtain a tax rebate.

Your Tax Rebate Estimate

£
Hourly rate must be at least £12.71 to estimate a rebate.
Estimated Payout to You
After all taxes & fees £0.00
Annual Gross Earnings: £0.00
Estimated Expenses (25%): £0.00
CIS Tax Already Deducted (20%): £0.00
This estimate includes Income Tax, Class 4 NI, and ADVANCE service fees.

Speak to our experts

Have questions? Want to learn more? Or are you looking for some advice? Don’t worry our specialist team are available to support sole traders and contractors. 

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Do You Need To Do A Tax Return?

If you are currently self-employed or have been in the past, it can be hard to know if you need to file a self-assessment tax return.

HMRC’s tax deadlines can be confusing, too.

Our specialist tax returns team will look at your circumstances and let you know where you stand. 

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Self-Employment Tax Return

If you earn any income over £1,000 through self-employment during a tax year (which runs from 6th April to 5th April the following year), you’ll need to file a self-assessment tax return. This is regardless of the new MTD regulations, and it doesn’t matter if you are no longer self-employed, HMRC wants you to pay any tax that you may owe for the relevant tax year. If you are still unsure if you need to do a tax return, read HMRC's guide here.

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Remember Your Deadlines

Midnight on 31st January is the annual online self-assessment deadline for the tax year that ended the previous April. For example, 31st January 2026 was the deadline for the tax year that ran from 6th April 2024 to 5th April 2025. Similarly, 31st January 2027 will be the 2025/26 deadline and so on.

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Punctuality Makes A Difference

Failure to file your tax return and pay any tax that you owe by the deadline will result in an automatic £100 fine. It is therefore in your financial interests to get everything sorted in time for the deadline.

What Rebate Can You Expect

Use our Tax Rebate calculator to find out what rebate you may be entitled to receive. Alternatively, give our team of experts a call on 01244 564 564 and we can help you today.

Need Help With Your Tax Return

Get in touch with our team of experts who are readily available to support your with your tax return.  

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Frequently Asked Questions

Got questions? We are here to help.

Here are a few of our most frequently asked questions.

Do I need to file a Self Assessment tax return?

You need to file a tax return if your income isn’t automatically taxed via PAYE (Pay As You Earn). The most common reasons include:

  • Self-Employment: You earned over £1,000 as a sole trader.

  • Property & Investments: You received more than £2,500 in rental income, or £10,000 or more from dividends and savings.

  • High Income Child Benefit Charge: You earned over £60,000 while claiming Child Benefit.

If you are employed and tax is deducted from your monthly payslip, you usually won’t need to do a thing.

The UK tax year wraps up on 5th April, and the absolute final deadlines to keep on your radar are:

  • 5th October: Deadline to register for Self Assessment for the first time.

  • 31st October: Deadline for traditional paper returns.

  • 31st January (Midnight): The big one. This is the final deadline to submit your online return and pay any tax you owe.

Top tip: Missing the January deadline means missing the payment deadline too, so it is always best to file early and give yourself some breathing room in case you do have a tax liability to pay.

HMRC issues automatic penalties if you miss the midnight deadline on 31st January, even if you don’t actually owe any tax:

  • 1 day late: An immediate £100 fixed penalty.

  • Up to 3 months late: An extra £10 a day (capped at £900).

  • 6 to 12 months late: Additional penalties of £300 or 5% of the tax due (whichever is higher), plus accruing interest.

If there is a genuine, unforeseen reason for the delay, you can appeal, but it is always safer to submit well ahead of time.

You only pay tax on your actual profits. You can claim for any expenses that are wholly and exclusively for running your business, including:

  • Office & Tech: Stationery, business software, phone lines, and internet.

  • Travel: Fuel, parking, and train tickets.

  • Working from Home: A fair proportion of your household utility bills.

  • Stock & Fees: Raw materials for resale, alongside professional fees like your accountant’s invoice or business insurance.

Just remember to keep hold of your receipts and digital records for at least five years in case HMRC asks to take a quick look.

Your UTR is a unique 10-digit number that HMRC assigns to you when you register. If it has gone missing, you can easily spot it on:

  • Any official letters or payment reminders from HMRC.

  • Your personal Government Gateway dashboard or the official HMRC mobile app.

If you still can’t find it, you can call the HMRC helpline, but do try to do this early in the year as the phone lines get incredibly busy the closer it gets to January.

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