Online Expenses Claim (P87) vs Self-Assessment for milage claim over £2500

SapphirePenguin76

Hi all, 

I normally claim tax relief on my work mileage via the online portal (P87). This year the amount I'm claiming relief on is £2520 which puts me just over the limit for the online form and means I have to submit a self-assessment form. I have never done a self-assessment form before and it looks like yet another piece of "life admin" I could really do without!

- I'd be happy forgoing the £20 difference - is it allowed to just claim £2500 worth of milage?
- Is the self-assessment form onerous to complete? 
- Have I missed the deadline for the self-assessment form in any event?

Thanks in advance folks! 

Jeremy535897

The deadline to file a self assessment tax return for 2022/23 is 31 January 2024. You should register by 5 October 2023. See:
https://www.gov.uk/register-for-self-assessment/not-self-employed

Unless your mileage is always going to exceed £2,500, I'd be tempted just to claim the maximum on the P87.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

SapphirePenguin76 said:

Hi all, 

I normally claim tax relief on my work mileage via the online portal (P87). This year the amount I'm claiming relief on is £2520 which puts me just over the limit for the online form and means I have to submit a self-assessment form. I have never done a self-assessment form before and it looks like yet another piece of "life admin" I could really do without!

- I'd be happy forgoing the £20 difference - is it allowed to just claim £2500 worth of milage?
- Is the self-assessment form onerous to complete? 
- Have I missed the deadline for the self-assessment form in any event?

Thanks in advance folks! 

You have already done the hardest part, completing a Self Assessment return will usually be pretty straightforward for an employee with no other complications.

The final deadline for submitting a return for 2022-23 is years away.

But ideally you would register and complete the return during the next few months rather than leaving it for the future.  Once you have been issued with a notice to file the return you have at least 3 months to complete it, longer if it's issued before the end of October 2022.

I doubt HMRC would be suspicious of anyone claiming exactly £2,500 on a P87 🙄

Jeremy535897

I doubt very much that they have the time, resources or the inclination to look at such things. I imagine quite a lot of people file claims of £2,500 just to avoid self assessment. If they do ask, you explain. It would be much harder to justify putting in £2,498 if they asked.