Voluntary self assessment or something else?

caeler

In 2020 I was required to complete self assessment and have continued ever since. After submitting last year I got a letter saying I no longer needed to. 

However as a higher rate tax payer I’d like to claim tax relief on my gift aid donations and business mileage. As well declare my savings interest. I like to get everything straight. 

Can I do a voluntary self assessment to tidy this away or is there something else I can do? 

Edited: I’m PAYE, one job. 

Nomunnofun1

‘ If you don't fill in a self-assessment form, you can call HMRC on 0300 200 3300 and  tell it about your charitable donations, so it can adjust your tax code’

caeler

I prefer to pay what I owe rather than it be collected via tax code. The mileage and charity donations generally owe me money which I can offset against what’s owed on saving interest. The self assessment gives me a £number so I can pay it. 

Dazed_and_C0nfused

AIUI you are perfectly entitled to file a return if you wish.

However I would recommend you don't just file one without re-registering for Self Assessment otherwise you can end up with this sort of issue, which doubtless is more hassle to resolve than doing the return in the first place!

https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366619484/HMRC-working-to-resolve-system-glitch-that-doubles-self-assessment-tax-rebates

singhini

OP - i had the same issue, i was selected to do self assessment a few years ago and after about 5 years HMRC wrote to me saying i no longer needed to do SA.

Just like you i was happy with SA and wanted to remain on it and so i rang them and asked to be put back onto it (they said no, i cant just be put back on). So i mentioned this to my accountant who said ring them back up and explain to them that you (me) will be putting over £10k into my SIPP in the coming tax year (why did my accountant say to me to do this, well there are certain things that automatically trigger SA). 

it worked!

Albermarle

Dazed_and_C0nfused said:

AIUI you are perfectly entitled to file a return if you wish.

However I would recommend you don't just file one without re-registering for Self Assessment otherwise you can end up with this sort of issue, which doubtless is more hassle to resolve than doing the return in the first place!

https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366619484/HMRC-working-to-resolve-system-glitch-that-doubles-self-assessment-tax-rebates

When I was taken off SA ( involuntarily) I tried to do one via my personal tax account and it just blocked me.
I also got hit with a glitch. Although it blocked me doing SA, somewhere in the system it still had me as a SA client and therefore no automatic tax calculation was happening.
Took a few calls and a strong complaint to sort it out !

caeler

Oh good grief this sounds painful! I just want to pay tax! 🤣🤣