Self employed Compliance visit

bkdizz

Hi
I declared myself as self employed in June this year so approx 6 - 8 weeks ago. I work from home I declared I work 30 hours a week, I probably work more and it tends to be late nights as well as the 3 days a week my children are in school, nursery and then after school club.
I have returned home to find a letter saying a compliance officer is coming in August to review the benefits I am claiming for etc? Like I say I have only been registered for 6 weeks so I'm miffed as to what they are coming for or expecting to see?
I am only claiming for the day care costs and they don't even cover the full cost of that childcare especially over the holidays I am putting over £300 to this myself.
I don't currently have a business bank account put as I get paid daily I can highlight all the income so far into my account, but how do I prove the hours I work etc?
Any help of assistance would be great

Housing_Benefit_Officer

bkdizz wrote: »

Hi
I declared myself as self employed in June this year so approx 6 - 8 weeks ago. I work from home I declared I work 30 hours a week, I probably work more and it tends to be late nights as well as the 3 days a week my children are in school, nursery and then after school club.
I have returned home to find a letter saying a compliance officer is coming in August to review the benefits I am claiming for etc? Like I say I have only been registered for 6 weeks so I'm miffed as to what they are coming for or expecting to see?
I am only claiming for the day care costs and they don't even cover the full cost of that childcare especially over the holidays I am putting over £300 to this myself.
I don't currently have a business bank account put as I get paid daily I can highlight all the income so far into my account, but how do I prove the hours I work etc?
Any help of assistance would be great

You are claiming benefits. Of course they have every right to check all you household and financial details to see what you are declaring is correct. Or should benefits just be dished out left right and centre with no checks whatsoever?

If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to worry about.

JimmyTheWig

bkdizz wrote: »

how do I prove the hours I work etc?

If I were you, I would keep a timesheet of hours worked and jobs done during those hours.

bkdizz

I know that!!!! I am asking what kind of Financial information would they be expecting to see? In regards to business accounts, expenditure etc as with my business being in its early stages I don't have much to show them.
I am claiming help towards daycare yes,so I can work, pay tax and benefit the Country in which I live??
Thanks for the "advice"

bkdizz

That's brilliant thanks, I log into a server and get paid daily so I could print off these and correspond these to my bank statements, to show when and how much is paid into my account.
Just with me only being registered for 6 weeks I'm not really in a position to give an accurate monthly income yet.

Jobseeeker

just keep all invoices, print outs etc receipts for expenses you will need these for HMRC anyway

If you specify what sort of business it is someone may be able to be more specific about what they would expect to see

JimmyTheWig

bkdizz wrote: »

Just with me only being registered for 6 weeks I'm not really in a position to give an accurate monthly income yet.

I would imagine that they will want to see evidence of the figures that you have given them.
I would like to think that that wouldn't just be in terms of what you are doing now, but what you hope/plan for in the future with things being such early days. So you might need to show them your calculations for what you expect to earn and explain how what is happening currently relates to that.

Presumably you have been totally honest with them?
Do you still think the estimates you gave them are likely to end up correct?

bkdizz

Yes to be honest I have over estimated my earnings for this year so that when it comes to the tax credits etc I don't end up owing them money by claiming for a lower income,get more money then have to pay it back.
I have been more than above board with them, as I want everything to be done in the correct way.
Just a bit nervous I guess about someone coming to talk to me....but I work 7 days a week and balance that with being a single parent of 2 children. So really I think I could use it to my advantage to get a little more advice on tax and expense claims etc.
Thanks

Housing_Benefit_Officer

You are not a self employed writer by any chance?