Self assessment & personal tax
You must file if you are self-employed, a company director with untaxed income, a landlord, or have income the higher earner child benefit or dividend rules.
Written and reviewed by Waqas Sagar Member of ICAEW, Fellow of ACCA, Fellow of AAT, a double graduate and entrepreneur at heart, helping startups grow and serving thousands of businesses nationwide with an excellent team. Published by LimitedCompany.Accountants, 12 London Road, Morden, London SM4 5BQ. Reviewed 12 September 2026 against 2026/27 UK rates and current Companies House and HMRC guidance.
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QuickBooks PartnerCertified ProAdvisor100+ yearsCombined team experienceFully insuredUp to £2m indemnityYou need to file if you were self-employed with income over £1,000, a company director receiving dividends or untaxed income, a landlord, had income over £150,000, need to pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge, or have capital gains or foreign income to report.
Common triggers
If you are not sure
You need to file if you were self-employed with income over £1,000, a company director receiving dividends or untaxed income, a landlord, had income over £150,000, need to pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge, or have capital gains or foreign income to report.
Self-employment or partnership income above £1,000 gross, rental income of any meaningful amount, dividends or other investment income above your allowances, and capital gains above the annual exempt amount all normally require a return. Company directors are asked to file where they receive income not fully taxed through PAYE, such as dividends, even if the salary itself is taxed at source.
The High Income Child Benefit Charge applies once the higher earner in a household has adjusted net income above the relevant threshold and the household claims Child Benefit, and this alone often catches people who otherwise think they have no reason to file.
HMRC's own online checker gives an indicative answer, but the underlying rule is that you must tell HMRC if you meet any of the criteria, even if you have never filed before, by 5 October following the end of the relevant tax year. Filing late registration does not remove the obligation to file for that year.
If your circumstances have genuinely ended, for example you stopped renting out a property or resigned as a director with no other qualifying income, you can ask HMRC to take you out of Self Assessment rather than continuing to file nil returns unnecessarily.
Rates, thresholds and deadlines quoted here reflect the 2026/27 UK position and current Companies House and HMRC guidance. Check GOV.UK, or ask us, before relying on them for your own company.
Local help
We work with company directors across London and Surrey from our office at 12 London Road, Morden, London SM4 5BQ. Pick your area, or send the form below and we will call you back.
Frequently asked
Not automatically; it depends on whether you have income not already taxed in full through PAYE, such as dividends.
There is no penalty for filing unnecessarily, though it is simpler to ask HMRC to withdraw the notice to file if your circumstances have changed.
Register anyway; the deadline to notify HMRC is 5 October following the end of the tax year, and it is safer to register than to risk a failure to notify penalty.
Keep bank statements, sales and platform reports, purchase invoices, payroll records, VAT workings, finance agreements and Companies House correspondence. We confirm the exact list at onboarding and identify gaps before a filing deadline becomes urgent.
The fee depends on transaction volume, record quality, VAT and payroll requirements, historic catch-up and the level of reporting needed. We agree a fixed scope and price before technical work starts, with published packages available on our fees page.
Yes. We request professional clearance, collect the prior records and authorities, check the next Companies House and HMRC deadlines, and give you one clear handover list. The process is normally completed remotely.
Yes. We work through secure cloud records, scheduled reviews and digital approvals, while keeping a named team available by phone, video call and email. Clients can also visit our Morden office by appointment.
We regularly work with Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, Sage and connected sales or expense apps. The right setup depends on transaction volume, integrations and the reports you need, not simply the software brand.
The relevant calendar may include annual accounts, Corporation Tax payment and return dates, confirmation statements, VAT returns, payroll submissions and Self Assessment. We map the dates from your company year end and registrations.
No. This page explains general UK rules and common accounting treatment. Your facts, contracts and wider tax position must be reviewed before you rely on a conclusion.
Included approach
Check the current rules
Deadlines, thresholds and filing rules change. GOV.UK and Companies House publish the current statutory position; advice should then be applied to your company’s circumstances.
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Pick a time that suits you and a qualified accountant will call you about your company, deadlines and fees.
Appointments run monday to friday, 9:00am to 5:30pm. Your confirmation is emailed straight away.
