What expenses can you claim if you are self-employed?

In general, you can claim any expenses incurred entirely and exclusively for the purposes of the business. Those expenses can be:

Pre-trading expenditure incurred within seven years before starting the business;

Cost of goods bought for resale and raw materials used in business;

Delivery charges;

Rent of business premises;

Small tools;

Special clothing;

Heating, lighting and rate charges;

Security costs;

Repairs and maintenance of premises or equipment;

Charge for hire of cars and other capital goods;

Hotel, travelling and subsistence expenses on business trips or travel between different places of work;

Proportion of running costs of your own car for business purposes;

Registration fees of trademark, patent or design;

Provisions for debts and debts written off;

Business insurance;

Employment related costs: wages, salaries, redundancy and leaving payments; employer’s NIC, pensions, staff training;

Telephone and internet charges;

Cleaning expenditure;

Advertising and marketing expenses;

Postage, printing and stationery;

Relevant books and magazines;

Subscriptions;

Accountancy and professional fees;

Legal costs;

Staff entertaining;

Charges of business bank accounts;

Interest on overdrafts and business loans;

Interest of hire purchase;

Any value gifts to your employees and gifts costing not more that £50 a year to each person for the purposes to advertise your business;

Use of home for work: business proportion of rent, Council Tax, mortgage interest, insurance, lighting, heating, cleaning, telephone calls, line rental, internet.