{"id":1511,"date":"2025-11-24T16:03:46","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T16:03:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/self-assessment\/self-employed-expenses\/"},"modified":"2026-04-09T14:24:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T14:24:25","slug":"self-employed-expenses","status":"publish","type":"knowledge","link":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/self-assessment\/self-employed-expenses\/","title":{"rendered":"Reduce your tax bill by claiming these self-employed expenses"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can subtract your self-employed expenses from your turnover when working out how much tax you need to pay each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But not all business expenses are allowable expenses, so it\u2019s important to know what costs you can claim on your tax return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This guide is specifically for sole traders and the self-employed, and can also apply to company directors. The <a data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1478\" href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-tax\/limited-company-expenses\/\">expenses process for a limited company<\/a> is slightly different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#understandingallowableexpenses\">Understanding self-employed allowable expenses<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#what-can-i-claim\">What expenses can I claim as self-employed?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#mistakes\">5 common expenses mistakes<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#expenses-list\">Self-employed allowable expenses list<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#calculator\">Self-employed expenses calculator<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#making-tax-digital\">What Making Tax Digital means for expenses<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#explainer-sessions\">HMRC expenses explainer sessions<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#faqs\">Self-employed expenses FAQs<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-get-your-free-guide-on-self-employed-expenses\">Get your free guide on self-employed expenses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Download your free in-depth guide to claiming allowable expenses on your Self Assessment. Why not save it and refer back to the guide when completing your tax return?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/12\/self-employed-expenses-2025.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"understandingallowableexpenses\"><strong><strong>At a glance \u2013 what are allowable expenses for the self-employed?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">HMRC has clear rules on what you can and can\u2019t include in your tax return. The costs you can include are called \u2018allowable expenses\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Understanding which of your self-employed expenses are allowable (and calculating your profit accurately) helps make sure you pay the right amount of tax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Calculating your tax deductible expenses means you can get immediate tax relief as it reduces the tax you owe on your business profits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-azure-300-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-69910985 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"border-radius:10px;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--90);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--90)\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s an example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jimmy\u2019s painting business earns \u00a325,000 in a tax year, but his allowable expenses add up to \u00a35,000. Jimmy only needs to pay tax on \u00a320,000, which is his taxable profit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This video covers everything you need to know about how you can reduce your tax bill by explaining the golden rule of expenses: if you use it for work, then you can claim it. Watch below for examples of expense claims \u2013 and one big tip you can&#8217;t forget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-tiktok wp-block-embed-tiktok\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@simplybusiness\/video\/7593430880304008470\" data-video-id=\"7593430880304008470\" data-embed-from=\"oembed\" style=\"max-width:605px; min-width:325px;\"> <section> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"@simplybusiness\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@simplybusiness?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">@simplybusiness<\/a> <p>Don\u2019t miss out on savings with your tax bill this January. These self-employed expenses are easy to forget but make a BIG difference on your Self Assessment. \ud83d\udcb8 Follow along for more tax tips! <a title=\"selfassessment\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/selfassessment?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">#SelfAssessment<\/a> <a title=\"selfemployed\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/selfemployed?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">#Selfemployed<\/a> <a title=\"smallbusiness\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/smallbusiness?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">#SmallBusiness<\/a> <a title=\"freelance\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/freelance?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">#Freelance<\/a> <a title=\"fyp\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/fyp?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">#FYP<\/a><\/p> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"\u266c Lovely - RINZ. &#038; Anton\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/Lovely-7325526004655081473?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">\u266c Lovely &#8211; RINZ. &#038; Anton<\/a> <\/section> <\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-can-i-claim\"><strong>What expenses can I claim as self-employed?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you\u2019re completing your tax return, there are certain costs that usually count as allowable business expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Office expenses, travel, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/how-to-advertise-your-business\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1410\">marketing costs<\/a>, and even <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/business-insurance\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"470\">business insurance<\/a> all count as business expenses. Keep reading to understand how you start claiming your expenses on your tax return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And watch the video below for some quick tips on the self-employed expenses process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"What are self-employed tax deductible expenses?\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CDaEqRCC5TQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Expense<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Allowable (you can claim)<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Not allowable (you can\u2019t claim)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Travel<\/td><td>Parking and fuel costs for work journeys<\/td><td>Travel costs for commuting from home to your main place of work<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Office expenses<\/td><td>Stationary and supplies such as printer cartridges and pens used for work<\/td><td>Stationary bought for personal use<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Marketing<\/td><td>Promotional materials or social media ads<\/td><td>Costs for entertaining clients<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Working from home<\/td><td>A portion of your utility bills, based on how much of your home you use for business<\/td><td>Mortgage repayments or rent<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Business premises<\/td><td>Rent and utility bills<\/td><td>The cost of buying a premises or building work<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Subscriptions<\/td><td>Memberships to trade bodies and subscriptions to journals relating to your business<\/td><td>A Netflix subscription for personal use<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Legal and financial costs<\/td><td>Professional costs for an accountant or interest on business loans<\/td><td>Fines for breaking the law or bad debts<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Stock and materials<\/td><td>Stock or materials used for your business<\/td><td>Materials bought for private use<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Business insurance<\/td><td>The cost of insurance such as public liability or professional indemnity<\/td><td>Personal insurance, such as home insurance<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Staff costs<\/td><td>Employee salaries and pension contributions<\/td><td>The cost of employee fines, such as parking tickets&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"mistakes\"><strong>5 common expenses mistakes made by the self-employed<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Common mistake<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Why it\u2019s an issue<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>How to avoid it<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>1. Claiming personal costs as business expenses<\/td><td>You could be investigated and fined by HMRC<\/td><td>Make sure you only claim for expenses that are wholly and exclusively for your business&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2. Forgetting to record purchases<\/td><td>You won\u2019t be able to claim purchases you haven\u2019t recorded, resulting in a higher tax bill<\/td><td>Keep digital records or use a receipt tracking app<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>3. Misunderstanding working from home rules<\/td><td>You could be investigated and fined by HMRC<\/td><td>Get to grips with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/simpler-income-tax-simplified-expenses\/working-from-home\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">HMRC guidance on working from home expenses<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>4. Not claiming for allowable expense categories<\/td><td>Your tax bill will be higher if you don\u2019t claim all allowable expenses<\/td><td>Review all your expenses and double check you\u2019re not missing any categories<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>5. Failing to keep records for long enough<\/td><td>You could be investigated and fined by HMRC&nbsp;<\/td><td>Keep all your invoices and receipts for at least five years<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-azure-200-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-30c80bf8 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"border-radius:35px;margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--90);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--90);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--90);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--90);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--90);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--90)\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"expenses-list\">Self-employed allowable expenses list UK<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Types of expenses you can claim as allowable expenses on your tax return include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#office-expenses\">office expenses<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#business-premises\">business premises<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#working-from-home-allowance\">working from home allowance<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\" #travel\">travel<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#stock-and-materials\">stock and materials<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#legal-and-financial-costs\">legal and financial costs<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#business-insurance\">business insurance<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#marketing\">marketing<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#staff-costs\">staff costs<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#subscriptions\">subscriptions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"office-expenses\">Office expenses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can claim business expenses for items that you\u2019d usually use for less than two years. This includes business stationery like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">phone, mobile, fax, and internet bills<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">postage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">stationery<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">printing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">printer ink and cartridges<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">computer software your business uses for less than two years<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">computer software if your business makes regular payments to renew the licence (even if you use it for more than two years)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also include business equipment that you\u2019ll keep for a longer time, like computers, printers, and other computer software \u2013 but you may have to claim these as <a href=\"\/knowledge\/business-tax\/what-can-i-claim-as-capital-allowances-and-annual-investment-allowance\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"882\">capital allowances<\/a> if you don\u2019t use <a href=\"\/knowledge\/business-tax\/cash-basis-vs-accrual-accounting\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1362\">cash basis accounting<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"nba-body-001\">\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"business-premises\">Business premises<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can claim expenses for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">rent<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">maintenance and repair<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">utility bills<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">property insurance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">security<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can\u2019t claim expenses for buying or building your business premises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"working-from-home-allowance\"><strong>Can a self-employed person claim working from home allowance?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s also possible to claim some working from home expenses on your tax return. For example, if you&#8217;ve <a href=\"\/knowledge\/starting-out\/how-to-start-a-home-business\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1015\">started a home business<\/a>, you can include part of your home utility bills, but you need to work out the proportion of your home that\u2019s used for business, and what proportion of the month it\u2019s being used for business purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The government website gives an example method of dividing the costs by the number of rooms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">you have four rooms in the house and you use one as an office<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">your electricity bill for the year is \u00a3800, and each room uses an equal amount of electricity<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">you can divide the bill by four to claim \u00a3200 allowable business expenses<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you work from home at least 25 hours a month, you can use <a href=\"\/knowledge\/business-tax\/simplified-expenses-working-from-home\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1521\">\u2018simplified expenses\u2019<\/a>, which is a flat monthly rate calculated by the government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"451\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/self-employed-expenses-graphic.png?w=1024\" alt=\"Simply Business graphic showing types of self-employed expenses\" class=\"wp-image-3513\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/self-employed-expenses-graphic.png 8000w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/self-employed-expenses-graphic.png?resize=800,352 800w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/self-employed-expenses-graphic.png?resize=768,338 768w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/self-employed-expenses-graphic.png?resize=1024,451 1024w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/self-employed-expenses-graphic.png?resize=1536,677 1536w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/self-employed-expenses-graphic.png?resize=2048,902 2048w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/self-employed-expenses-graphic.png?resize=150,66 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"travel\">Travel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can claim business-related car or van costs on your tax return, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">vehicle insurance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">fuel<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">hire charges<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">daily <a href=\"\/knowledge\/vehicles\/ultra-low-emission-zone-business-guide\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1554\">ULEZ charges<\/a> if you drive in London and other clean air zone charges in UK cities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">repairs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">servicing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">breakdown cover<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Self-employed car expenses can be difficult to calculate, so you can use \u2018simplified vehicle expenses\u2019, which is a flat rate provided by the government:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Vehicle<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Flat rate for each mile<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cars and goods vehicles up to 10,000 miles<\/td><td>45p<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cars and goods vehicles over 10,000 miles<\/td><td>25p<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Motorcycles<\/td><td>24p<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Simplified vehicle expenses<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also include business travel by train, bus, plane, or taxi, and hotel rooms and meals during overnight business trips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bear in mind that travel for things like meetings and site visits is included, but you can\u2019t claim for the cost of travelling between home and work \u2013 so commuting or travelling to your business premises doesn\u2019t count.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also note that if you take a journey for both personal and business reasons, you must be able to separate out the business cost in order to include it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can\u2019t claim for entertaining clients, suppliers and customers, or event hospitality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, if you buy a vehicle for your business and use <strong>traditional accounting<\/strong>, you can claim it as a <a href=\"\/knowledge\/business-tax\/what-can-i-claim-as-capital-allowances-and-annual-investment-allowance\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"882\">capital allowance<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you use <strong>cash basis accounting<\/strong> and buy a car for your business, you can claim it as a capital allowance (if you\u2019re not using simplified expenses). You claim other types of vehicle, like vans, as allowable expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"stock-and-materials\">Stock and materials<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can include the cost of your stock, your raw materials, and the direct costs that arise from producing your goods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can\u2019t claim for goods or materials bought for private use, or depreciation of equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"legal-and-financial-costs\">Legal and financial costs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you need to hire a professional like an accountant, a solicitor, a surveyor, or an architect for business reasons, you can include the cost in your calculation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also include bank, overdraft and credit card charges, interest on bank and business loans, hire purchase interest, and leasing payments. Note that if you\u2019re using cash basis accounting, you can only claim up to \u00a3500 in interest and bank charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you use traditional accounting, you can claim money that you won\u2019t receive and don\u2019t think you\u2019ll ever receive (bad debt). That\u2019s because with traditional accounting, you include this debt in your turnover. But you can\u2019t claim for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">debts not included in turnover<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">debts related to the disposal of fixed assets, for example land, buildings, or machinery<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">bad debts that aren\u2019t properly calculated \u2013 you can\u2019t just estimate that your debts are equal to five per cent of your turnover<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can\u2019t claim for debt in this way when using cash basis accounting, because you only record income you\u2019ve actually received on your tax return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, you can\u2019t claim fines for breaking the law as business expenses, or for repayments of loans, overdrafts, and finance arrangements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-azure-300-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-69910985 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"border-radius:10px;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--90);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--90)\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"business-insurance\">Business insurance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can include the cost of <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"5152\">business insurance<\/a>, for example: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/business-insurance\/public-liability-insurance\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"734\" >public liability insurance<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/business-insurance\/professional-indemnity-insurance\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"720\" >professional indemnity insurance<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/business-insurance\/employers-liability-insurance\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"370\" >employers&#8217; liability insurance<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s more information about this on our <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/faq\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"572\" >business insurance FAQ pages<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"marketing\">Marketing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can claim for the cost of marketing your business, including:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">website costs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">newspaper advertising<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">directory listings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">mailshots<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">free samples<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"clothing\">Clothing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can include the cost of uniform, necessary protective clothing, or costumes for actors or entertainers, but you can\u2019t include the cost of everyday clothing that you wear to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"staff-costs\">Staff costs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Employee and staff salaries count as allowable expenses, as do:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">bonuses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/allowances\/self-employed-pension-guide\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1512\">pension contributions<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">benefits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">agency fees<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-tax\/employer-national-insurance\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"27179\">employer National Insurance contributions<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">training courses related to your business<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"subscriptions\">Subscriptions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can include the cost of membership to trade bodies or professional membership organisations if they\u2019re relevant to your business, and the cost of subscriptions to trade or professional journals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"calculator\"><strong>How to calculate self-employed allowable expenses<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You need to rely on your tax records when calculating your allowable expenses \u2013 the figures will be unique to your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s a case of adding up your expenses from your bills and receipts, so it\u2019s important that you keep them all, otherwise you might miss out on a claim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Calculating expenses will also depend on whether you\u2019re using cash basis or traditional accounting. Using <a href=\"\/knowledge\/business-tax\/cash-basis-vs-accrual-accounting\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1362\">cash basis accounting<\/a>, you record expenses when you pay them. But with traditional accounting, you record expenses when you receive the bill or receipt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you complete your tax return, you may get the option to give a single figure for your allowable expenses or to give a detailed breakdown. If you choose to enter a single figure, you still need to work out all your expenses accurately, and keep a record of your workings in case HMRC queries your figures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You should also keep receipts or other proofs of purchase. You don\u2019t need to include these with your tax return, but you may need to present them if you\u2019re subject to a tax investigation. HMRC says that you need to <a href=\"\/knowledge\/business-tax\/how-long-to-keep-tax-records\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1407\">keep tax records<\/a> for at least five years after the 31 January deadline of the relevant tax year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read more about <a href=\"\/knowledge\/business-tax\/self-employed-tax-changes\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1514\">how to fill in your tax return<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"making-tax-digital\">Making Tax Digital \u2013 what does it mean for self-employed expenses?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Making Tax Digital for income tax is being phased in from April 2026. It will impact how the self-employed manage their expenses in the following ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">taxpayers will be required to record all their expenses digitally &#8211; this means you\u2019ll need a digital version of all paper receipts and invoices<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">digital expenses must be recorded using HMRC-approved software (or using a spreadsheet and bridging software)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">quarterly updates \u2013 instead of just one annual submission, taxpayers will need to send HMRC a summary of their income and expenses every three months (plus a final declaration each year)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/self-assessment\/making-tax-digital-for-income-tax\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"38240\">Read more about Making Tax Digital for income tax<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"explainer-sessions\">HMRC allowable expenses explainer sessions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">HMRC hosts free, regular \u2018talking points\u2019 meetings and webinars, designed to help tax agents get to grips with completing returns on behalf of their clients, as well as other issues. Have a look to see the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/guidance\/help-and-support-for-agents\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">range of sessions<\/a> available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"faqs\">Expenses for self-employed people \u2013 FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-can-you-put-down-as-expenses-if-you-re-self-employed\"><strong>What can you put down as expenses if you&#8217;re self-employed?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The expenses you claim as a self-employed person must be wholly and exclusively for your business. Here\u2019s a list of the things you can put down as allowable expenses on your tax return:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">office expenses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">business premises<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">working from home allowance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">travel<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">stock and materials<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">legal and financial costs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">business insurance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">marketing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">staff costs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">subscriptions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-do-i-claim-self-employed-expenses\"><strong>How do I claim self-employed expenses?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You claim self-employed expenses by including the cost of things used for your business (such as travel and materials) on your Self Assessment tax return.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The cost of these expenses is then deducted from your final tax bill. It&#8217;s important to keep receipts and records of your expenses as evidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-expenses-does-hmrc-accept-without-receipts\"><strong><strong>What expenses does HMRC accept without receipts?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are no specific expenses that HMRC will accept without receipts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">HMRC sets a \u2018reasonable\u2019 expectation that you may not have receipts for a small number of expenses. However, if you claim for lots of expenses without evidence it may draw attention to your tax return and could result in an HMRC investigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Receipts are the best evidence you can use to support your expenses. However, if you don\u2019t have a receipt for an expense, here are some alternative types of evidence you could include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">bank or credit card statements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">invoices, purchase orders, or order confirmations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">detailed records of purchases &#8211; including date, amount, and supplier<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-can-i-claim-food-expenses-if-i-m-self-employed\"><strong>Can I claim food expenses if I&#8217;m self-employed?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can generally claim food as a business expense if:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">you need to travel away from your usual place of work, for example, to an event or conference<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">a business trip includes an overnight stay<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Usually, you can\u2019t claim daily lunches, meals on your usual commute, or entertaining clients at restaurants as allowable expenses.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s important to make \u2018reasonable\u2019 claims, so avoid extravagant meals. All food expenses you claim must be \u2018wholly and exclusively\u2019 for business purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-can-i-use-as-proof-of-expenses-if-i-m-self-employed\"><strong><strong>What can I use as proof of expenses if I\u2019m self-employed?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are several things you can provide as proof of your expenses. These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">receipts&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">invoices<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">bank and credit card statements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">mileage logs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">contracts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">email correspondence<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">order confirmations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">detailed notes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remember it\u2019s important to provide as much detailed and accurate evidence as you can to support your expenses claim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-can-i-claim-for-clothing-if-i-m-self-employed\">Can I claim for clothing if I\u2019m self-employed?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, there are certain types of clothing you can claim as a business expense. These include protective clothing (such as steel-toe capped boots), uniforms (such as branded workwear), and costumes that you\u2019d wear to perform in.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anything that could be worn as part of an \u2018everyday wardrobe\u2019 and not used wholly or exclusively for business can\u2019t be claimed as an expense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-can-i-claim-working-from-home-expenses\">Can I claim working from home expenses?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, you can claim a reasonable portion of your home&#8217;s running costs, as long as they are incurred wholly and exclusively for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This can be done either through simplified expenses (a flat rate based on the hours you work) or working out the actual costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Tax can be complicated, and you can face fines if you make a mistake on your tax return, so look at the guidelines on the <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/expenses-if-youre-self-employed\/overview\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>government&#8217;s website<\/strong><\/a><strong> and seek professional advice if you need it.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>More guides to help you with your taxes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-tax\/hmrc-errors-and-mistakes-guidance\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1398\">How to amend a Self Assessment tax return<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/register-as-self-employed\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1501\">How to register as self-employed with HMRC<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/self-assessment\/hmrc-time-to-pay\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1403\">HMRC Time to Pay \u2013 how to set up an HMRC payment plan<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/business-insurance\/faq\/is-public-liability-insurance-tax-deductible\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"590\" >Is public liability insurance tax deductible?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"nba-body-end\">\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Work out what self-employed expenses you can deduct from your taxable income.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3512,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"sb_hreflang":"","sb_hreflang_url":"","disable_breadcrumbs":false,"sb_breadcrumbs":[],"sb_reviewed_by":"","sb_review_date":"","sb_enable_content_gating":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[344,348],"hidden-category":[],"coauthors":[20],"class_list":["post-1511","knowledge","type-knowledge","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-tax","category-self-assessment"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Self-employed expenses: how to reduce your tax bill<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn which self-employed expenses you can claim on your tax return. 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Here\u2019s what you can and can\u2019t claim\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Work out what self-employed expenses you can deduct from your taxable income, and how to do it.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/self-assessment\/self-employed-expenses\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Simply Business UK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/simplybusiness\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-09T14:24:25+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/what-can-i-claim-as-self-employed-tax-deductible-expenses.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Reduce your tax bill by claiming these self-employed expenses\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@simplybusiness\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"14 minutes\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"Conor Shilling\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/self-assessment\/self-employed-expenses\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/self-assessment\/self-employed-expenses\/\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Conor Shilling\",\"description\":\"Conor Shilling is a professional writer with over 10 years\u2019 experience across the property, small business, and insurance sectors. 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