Quick question about my first tax return

karen_newcastle

I set up my small business in September 2008. I registered with HMRC but although I received my Small Earnings Exception certificate for NI I never received my UTR number. I was chatting to someone yesterday who said that my first tax return is not due until I've been trading a full year from April 09 -April 10. Is this right?

PlutoinCapricorn

I would expect you to be asked to complete a return for 2008-09. They send a form each year until you complete an online return. The form arrives soon after April 6th.

Some time after you registered, you should have got a confirmation letter with UTR in the same mailing as the small earnings exemption claim form.

fengirl_2

You do need to self assess for 08/09, so you need to ring HMRC and ask for your UTR, then get your return done PDQ!

karen_newcastle

I've definately not had a UTR - despite registering in 2008! And not had any other correspondance from HMRC since they sent me my 3 year small earnings cert at the end of 2008. So will get onto them first thing on Monday Morning.

Thanks x

PlutoinCapricorn

HMRC do not go out of their way to highlight the UTR: I got mine from a letter they sent around one month after I registered. It said that they would be asking me to complete tax returns each year from now on. They put my NI number on the top left, and the UTR is two lines above it, under the name "our ref": someone told me that was my UTR. It is 10 digits long.