How to declare income/pay tax as self employed?

[SamLH]

Hi

Last summer I started working a zero hour contract/self employed, this became quite regular almost earning the same amount each month since.

A couple of months after taking on the zero hour contract, the person who was contracting me told me I would need to register as self employed but they would show me how. We went to a .gov website, I filled in my details and was told to wait a few weeks for confirmation, nothing happened, we tried again, and the again. December last year I got an email off of HMCR saying that there was a delay and they had to send my details to another department to be verified.

Finally, in January I got a letter off of HMRC saying they have set up a Self Assessment record and provided my UTR number.

Last month, I tried to log on to HMRC to file my tax return but the site asked me tocreate a Government Gateway account first. I was unsure whether I did this in the past so I clicked on don't know ID and Password. I filled in my details and was told I do not have an account so was told to create one, I created an account and wait for verification. A few days ago I get the details so log in and it says Self Assessment isn't available for this Government Gateway account.

Yesterday I spent hours trying to login, and somehow now have about 4 different Government Gateway IDs but none of them allow Self Assessment. So I have now tried the other way round and tried to locate my account from my UTR but have received this email 'The information which you gave does not link with an online account for self assessment and so we cannot send you a User ID.'

So I have been given a UTR 9 months ago but can't use it to file my tax returns.

I'm just wasting my time going round in circles with them.

What am I supposed to do?

 

[DontAsk]

Call the self assessment helpline. They are very helpfull in my experience.

 

[paulears]

Indeed - it just be that you may simply have not waited long enough. The Government Gateway is still accessed via an initial document in the post with your reference numbers you need to log in to your account. It's a security measure, and probably not a quick one.

 

[SmallBizAccountant]

Hi Sam,

You will need to use one of the gateways to login. Make note of which one you're using, then disregard the others.
Once you're in, you will need to activate the service for self-assessment (personal tax)
This will generate an activation code which should arrive in a few days.When you get the code, login again and enter it on there. You'll be good to proceed to starting your tax return.

HMRC don't make this process easy that for sure.

 

[STDFR33]

Despite what you may think, you might not actually be self employed.

 

[duggimon]

Either, as a previous responder said, you need to activate the SA service on your gateway account or you possibly have not actually registered for Self Assessment (using form CWF1) but have in fact filled out a SA1 which will get you a UTR but not register you as self employed.

That might not be an issue though since from the sounds of it you aren't self employed and your employer just wants to avoid paying tax.

 

[Gecko001]

Despite what you may think, you might not actually be self employed.

Yes it is probable that you should be an employee and not self-employed. The fact that the employer is showing you how to fill in the forms for self-employment makes me suspicious here.

In saying this, you still need to get things straight with HMRC.

 

[SteveHa]

Check using HMRC's employment status indicator and come back. The advice will depend on the outcome.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-employment-status-for-tax

 

[STDFR33]

Check using HMRC's employment status indicator and come back. The advice will depend on the outcome.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-employment-status-for-tax

Are you suggesting that the OP could tell HMRC that he believed that he was employed and that he believed the money received was after all statutory deductions? Or because I've just said it, am I suggesting? I'm confused.

 

[SteveHa]

It's true. the OP could report the employing/contracting entity for a failure to operate PAYE, failure of NMW regs (if applicable) etc. In strictness, the OP should have protection under the whistleblower provisions. Not convinced that protection would work (especially if the boss is a brute with a baseball bat), but the law is there.

 

[STDFR33]

It's true. the OP could report the employing/contracting entity for a failure to operate PAYE, failure of NMW regs (if applicable) etc. In strictness, the OP should have protection under the whistleblower provisions. Not convinced that protection would work (especially if the boss is a brute with a baseball bat), but the law is there.

Yes, probably best giving that a swerve if the OP’s employer (sorry, client!) is called Neghan (Walking Dead reference if you’re not familiar).