UTR no - had one issued in 2002 on tax return, can I use same number in 2010-11

joolsybools

Hi All,

As it says on the tin and hopefully not a 'stupid' question:

I used to have to fill in tax returns and the last one I filled in was in 2002. I am about to go freelance/self employed and one of the organisations I might get work from has said that I will need to get a UTR (unique taxpayers reference number) before they can pay me.

I read somewhere that if you have ever filled in a tax return you will have one from that, so I dug out an old copy and sure enough there is one.

My question is therefore, is it ok to still use this one or should I apply for a new one. The reason I ask this question is that I am now under a different tax office and obviously my employment circumstances are different. Hopefully I can still use the same number is it is supposedly unique, but I want to be absolutelty certain. Am happy to phone/visit the tax enquiry centre to find out but was hoping there might be someone on here who would know for sure.

TIA.

hopon

Yes you can use the same one.

You will need to tell HMRC that you are going self employed again though.

joolsybools

Thanks v much. Do others concur?

mrkbrrws

Yes - use the same UTR and when you register as self-employed (http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/se1.pdf) fill in the box

"If you were previously self-employed please tell us your most recent tax reference. It will be the ten digit reference (the UTR) in the top left-hand corner on page 1 of your Tax Return."

So they tie you up with the old reference.

joolsybools

mrkbrrws wrote: »

Yes - use the same UTR and when you register as self-employed (http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/se1.pdf) fill in the box

"If you were previously self-employed please tell us your most recent tax reference. It will be the ten digit reference (the UTR) in the top left-hand corner on page 1 of your Tax Return."

So they tie you up with the old reference.

Thanks. I have never been self employed before, I was employed as a waitress and they just picked me up, presumably because they wanted to know about the tips. Do you think the UTR number will still stand in that situation?

LilacPixie

yep same UTR

joolsybools

Great, thanks everyone x

PlutoinCapricorn

If you file your tax returns online from now on, the system will remember and confirm your UTR.

However, this unique tax reference is evidence that you file a tax return, not that you are self employed. Many people who are not self employed need to file returns, so they have UTRs too.

When clients want evidence of self employment, they often produce contracts for you to sign saying that you are self employed and look after your own income tax and NI.

Another point is that some people say that this is a private number that should not be given to others.