Self-Assessment Contact Number for Annual Tax Returns
If the only money you earned in the past tax year came from a job you perform for a regular employer, who pays you a salary from which tax is deducted according to the PAYE system, you will probably not have to complete a self-assessment form. However, if you have any other sources of income or your annual salary is particularly high, you may well need to do so. If you are not sure whether you need to complete a form or not, you can call the Self-Assessment contact number on 0300 200 3310 any time from 8am to 8pm on weekdays or from 8am to 4pm on Saturdays to ask for assistance. In the meantime, you will find further information below that may help you to determine if you are required to file a tax return this year.
Who Needs to Complete a Tax Return?
There are various reasons you may need to complete a tax return this year, the most important of which we have listed below for you to study at your leisure. If you want to make sure that you comply with current regulations and would rather speak to an expert on the matter, you can, as mentioned above, call the central Self-Assessment helpline to ask for guidance. The following list is not meant to be an exhaustive guide but it should give you a better idea whether you fall into the category of people in the UK who are required to complete their own tax returns on an annual basis.
- You Are Self-Employed – Anybody who was self-employed for part or all of the last tax year will need to complete a tax return. If you do not file a return, you will not be able to deduct allowable expenses from your gross earnings and may therefore end up paying more income tax than is necessary.
- You Received Untaxed Income – If you received £2,500 or more in untaxed income, you should complete a tax return. This income could have come from renting out a property that you own, from interest on savings you hold with a bank that does not automatically deduct tax at source, or from shares or another type of financial instrument in which you have invested.
- You Earned More Than £100,000 – If your annual income in the last tax year exceeded £100,000, you will need to complete a tax return. This is true even if you are in the PAYE system and did not receive any untaxed income from other sources.
- HMRC Asks You to File a Return – If you receive a letter from HMRC telling you to complete a Self-Assessment form, you should, of course, comply. There are various reasons that this may happen, such as not having paid enough tax in the previous financial year, but whatever the reason may be, you should complete a tax return and send it within the applicable time-frame.
- You Make Donations to Charity – If you make any charitable donations, you can claim tax relief on these at the end of the tax year. In order to do this, you will need to complete a Self-Assessment form. On the form, you should include details of all donations you have made in the previous tax year.
When to Use the Self-Assessment Contact Number
If you would rather fill in a paper form than complete your tax return online, you can call this number and ask for a form to be sent to you. If you are unsure what the deadline is for receipt of your tax return, it is better to call and request clarification than to risk a penalty for late submission. If you are attempting to complete your tax return and run into difficulties, you can call the HMRC Self-Assessment number to ask for help. Some people are reticent to contact tax officials for any reason but if you are doing your best to comply with the regulations, they will be more than happy to provide any assistance you may need.
With regard to the best time of day to make your call, this will depend on a number of factors so is not always easy to predict. However, if you are making your call during the week, you will almost certainly find that lines are busier around lunchtime than at other times of day: something that is worth bearing in mind if you do not want to spend too long on hold, waiting to speak to an HMRC official.
Self-Assessment FAQ
Below are some commonly asked questions about completing tax returns in the UK. If the answers you are looking for are not in this section, you can call the previously mentioned helpline.
- Do I Need to File a Return if I Earned Less Than £2,500 in Untaxed Income? – If you earned less than £2,500 in untaxed income during the last financial year, you may or may not have to file a return. The easiest way to determine what you need to do is to call the Self-Assessment helpline and provide them with details of the income in question.
- Should I File a Return if I Receive Child Benefit? – If you received child benefit during the last tax year and your income was over £50,000, you will need to complete a tax return. If your income was £50,000 or less and there are no other factors that indicate the need to complete a return, you will not have to do so. Again, if you are in any doubt, the best course of action to take is to get in touch with HMRC officials on the number given at the top of this page and ask for clarification.
- What if I Received Income from Abroad? – If you received any income from abroad that should be taxed, you will need to complete a Self-Assessment form and file it before the applicable deadline.
- Are Capital Gains Relevant? – Yes. If you made a profit from the sale of shares, a second property that is not your main home, or any other form of investment, you should complete a tax return for the financial year in which this occurred.
- Is My Occupation Relevant? – Some people are required to send a tax return regardless of whether any of the previously mentioned factors apply to them. If, for example, you are a religious minister or a Lloyd’s underwriter, you will be required to complete a return at the end of every financial year.
- Do I Need to Keep Records? – If you are self-employed, you will need to keep accurate records of all income and expenses that relate to your business activities throughout the course of each financial year. These records may be requested if HMRC wish to check that you have filled in your return correctly. If you are not self-employee but you need to complete a tax return each year for another reason, you should keep relevant records. If, for instance, you earn an income from investments that exceeds £2,500, you should keep detailed records of this income.
- How Long Should I Keep Old Records? – Assuming that you file your tax return on or before the applicable deadline, you should keep records pertaining to the return for a minimum of 22 months after the end of the relevant tax year. If you make a late submission, you should keep all relevant records for a minimum of 15 months after the date that you sent your return. Records of income and expenditure for self-employed individuals should be kept longer: at least 5 years after the deadline for submission of each tax return to which they relate. If you wish to delete or throw away old records and you are not sure whether you should, call the Self-Assessment contact number beforehand.
- What Happens if Records Are Lost or Destroyed? – If you cannot provide receipts for business expenditure, income reports for shares that you own, or other records that may be required by HMRC when you submit your annual tax return, you should provide your best estimates of the figures in question and make a note that you have lost the supporting records so that HMRC are aware of the situation. If it is possible to obtain replacement records, you should, of course, attempt to do so rather than using estimated figures in your calculations.
Completing a personal tax return can seem like a daunting prospect, especially if it is the first time you have had to do so. However, there is no need to spend sleepless nights agonising over the task as you can always call for help in the event that you experience any difficulties when completing your return: the officials who man the HMRC Self-Assessment number are there to provide assistance whenever it may be required and will always do their best to make sure you have all the information you need.