If you are self-employed it is important to know if an expense is tax allowable. Any allowable costs can be used to reduce your taxable profit.

As a general rule you can claim for items that you would normally use for less than 2 years as allowable expenses such as stationery and other office sundries as well as rent, rates, power and insurance costs.

HMRC lists the following office expenses as being allowable:

• office costs, for example stationery or phone bills
• travel costs, for example fuel, parking, train or bus fares
• clothing expenses, for example uniforms
• staff costs, for example salaries or subcontractor costs
• things you buy to sell on, for example stock or raw materials
• financial costs, for example insurance or bank charges
• costs of your business premises, for example heating, lighting, business rates
• advertising or marketing, for example website costs
• training courses related to your business, for example refresher courses

Regarding training costs, you can claim training costs that help you:

• improve skills and knowledge you currently use for your business;
• keep up-to-date with technology used in your industry;
• develop new skills and knowledge related to changes in your industry; or
• develop new skills and knowledge to support your business – this includes administrative skills.

You cannot claim for training courses that help you:

• start a new business; or
• expand into new areas of business that are not related to your current business activities.

The enhanced Check Your State Pension forecast service is now available online. The service can be found on GOV.UK at the following webpage https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension.

The new digital service is a joint service by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It has been enhanced to include a fully end-to-end digital solution.

The service allows most people under State Pension age to view their pension forecast and identify any gaps in their National Insurance Contributions (NICs) record. This will be helpful for taxpayers looking to make voluntary NIC contributions to increase their entitlement to benefits, including the State or New State Pension.

Usually, HMRC allow you to pay voluntary contributions for the past 6 tax years. The deadline is 5 April each year. However, there is currently an opportunity for people to make up gaps in their NICs for the tax years from April 2006 to April 2017 as part of transitional measures to the new State Pension. The deadline has been extended a number of times and has been most recently extended until 5 April 2025.

The launch of HMRC’s online service will help speed up this process. HMRC’s helplines have been struggling to meet the demands for information and processing claims to pay additional NIC contributions.

HMRC has also confirmed that all relevant voluntary NIC payments will be accepted at the rates applicable in 2022-23 until 5 April 2025.

It is worthwhile checking your State Pension position on a regular basis, this will help to optimise your entitlement. You should also consider what other savings or pensions might be required for a long and comfortable retirement.

You can receive up to £500 every 3 months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of your children to help with the costs of childcare. This increases to £1,000 every 3 months if a child is disabled (up to £4,000 a year).

If you receive Tax-Free Childcare, you will set up an online childcare account for your child. For every £8 you pay into this account, the government will pay in £2 to use to pay your provider.

You can receive Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as 15 or 30 hours free childcare if you are eligible for both.

You can use it to pay for approved childcare, for example, childminders, nurseries and nannies and after school clubs and play schemes.

Your childcare provider must be signed up to the scheme before you can pay them and benefit from Tax-Free Childcare. Check with your provider to see if they are signed up.

Eligibility

According to the GOV.UK website your eligibility depends on:

• whether you are working (employed, self-employed, or a director);
• your income (and your partner’s income if you have one);
• your child’s age and circumstances; and
• your immigration status.

If you are not currently working you may still be eligible if your partner is working and you receive any of the following:

• Incapacity Benefit
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Carer’s Allowance or (in Scotland only) Carer Support Payment
• Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance

You can apply if you are starting or re-starting work within the next 31 days.

Your income

Over the next 3 months you and your partner (if you have one) must each expect to earn at least:

• £2,379 if you’re aged 21 or over
• £1,788 if you’re aged 18 to 20
• £1,331 if you’re under 18 or an apprentice

This is the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week on average.

If a customer complains that an item you sold them is faulty, is not as described or does not do what it is supposed to do, then you must offer a refund.

You do not have to make a refund if the customer:

• knew an item was faulty when they bought it;
• damaged an item by trying to repair it themselves or getting someone else to do it (though they may still have the right to a repair, replacement or partial refund); or
• no longer want an item (for example because it’s the wrong size or colour) unless they bought it without seeing it.

Other considerations

• You have to offer a refund for certain items if they are faulty. Foe example, personalised items, perishable goods, newspapers and magazines and unwrapped CDs, DVDs and computer software.
• Online or telephone sales customers have the right to cancel their order. They must tell you of their intention to cancel within 14 days of receiving the goods and another 14 days to return the goods once they have told you.
• Customers have up to 6 years to make a claim for an item they’ve bought from you (5 years in Scotland).
• A customer has the same right to free repairs or a replacement regardless of whether they have a warranty or guarantee or not. You may still have to repair or replace goods if a customer’s warranty or guarantee has run out.
• You can ask the customer for proof that they bought an item from you. This could be a sales receipt or other evidence such as a bank statement or packaging.
• You only have to accept returns from the person who bought the goods returned.

And finally, it’s illegal to display any notice that deliberately misleads consumers or deceives them about their rights, for example a sign that says you do not accept returns or offer refunds.