Just gone self employed, how do I find my UTR?

kr15snw

Recently registered self employed and other than a 'thank you for registering' email I have little contact from HMRC. I have had a national insurance bill though.

BUT the student loan company have been in touch and want to know what I'm up to (they notice I havent been earning recently as have been unemployed for a few months). They've sent a form which I can fill out easy enough but they need my UTR, which I don't have!

Any ideas where I can find this? Tried ringing the tax office and never get anywhere

Horace

You get your UTR when you have sent off your first self assessment, if you have only just set up then you won't get one until your do your first tax return next year (you will get the request for the tax return in April 2011).

PlutoinCapricorn

Did you get a letter from HMRC saying that you would be asked to complete a tax return each year?

Your National Insurance Number in the top left may have "Our Ref" above it with a 10-digit number: that is the UTR.

richardofengland

Horace wrote: »

You get your UTR when you have sent off your first self assessment, if you have only just set up then you won't get one until your do your first tax return next year (you will get the request for the tax return in April 2011).

I heard you have to request a UTR number and give it to your employer so he only takes 20% tax and not 30% tax. Am I correct in this ?

Savvy_Sue

An employer will deduct tax according to your tax code. If you are self-employed, it's a different matter! But if you are self-employed, you don't normally talk of your employer.

Horace

richardofengland wrote: »

I heard you have to request a UTR number and give it to your employer so he only takes 20% tax and not 30% tax. Am I correct in this ?

You give a P45 to your employer. If you are employed and don't have a P45 then your employer asks you to complete a P46 instead. The self employed don't have P45s or P46s.

A UTR is something that the HMRC give you when you are self employed and fill in self assessments.

martindow

Horace wrote: »

A UTR is something that the HMRC give you when you are self employed and fill in self assessments.

Is that right? I thought the UTR was your tax reference number. If you are partially PAYE and partially self employed as a sole trader the UTR would be the same for both.

metalfury

Hi, I think I'm in the same boat.

I registered as self employed around 10 weeks ago. Apart from the automated email I've not heard anything.

Does anyone have any experience to know how long it takes for the HMRC to get back in touch, or will they leave it until they send out the tax return forms?

Thanks in advance :-)

easy

martindow wrote: »

Is that right? I thought the UTR was your tax reference number. If you are partially PAYE and partially self employed as a sole trader the UTR would be the same for both.

Yep, UTR is Unique Tax Reference, and I believe we all have one once we come out of full-time education and either register at a job-centre or begin to be paid by an employer, or have any other dealings which HMRC need to know about.

If you have ever had a communication from the tax office about anything, then it should be on there (altho it isn't always labeled as your UTR).

Horace

metalfury wrote: »

Hi, I think I'm in the same boat.

I registered as self employed around 10 weeks ago. Apart from the automated email I've not heard anything.

Does anyone have any experience to know how long it takes for the HMRC to get back in touch, or will they leave it until they send out the tax return forms?

Thanks in advance :-)

You won't hear from them until they send you a self assessment, however, if you are claiming Working Tax credits then you will hear from them as they write and tell you how much you are getting each week. If you havent got a Class 2 NI Exemption then they will contact you to make your NI payments.

metalfury

Horace wrote: »

You won't hear from them until they send you a self assessment, however, if you are claiming Working Tax credits then you will hear from them as they write and tell you how much you are getting each week. If you havent got a Class 2 NI Exemption then they will contact you to make your NI payments.

Thanks Horrace :beer:
I applied for class 2 NI Exemption - I haven't heard from that one either. But hopefully the lack of response meens my application was successful.

Cheers

MF