Self assessment for a non-worker with interest under £10k

What_time_is_it

Hi there.
My partner will be paid around £9.5k in interest this tax year. She receives no other income, does not work and does not claim any state benefits or pension. 

Does she need to complete a self-assessment tax return for 2025-26?

My understanding is that if total interest is under £10k then you don’t complete a self-assessment. But I’m not sure whether having no other income at all impacts this?

Thanks. 🙂

Ayr_Rage

Simple, go to the horse's mouth

https://www.gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns/who-must-send-a-tax-return

Dazed_and_C0nfused

What_time_is_it said:

Hi there.
My partner will be paid around £9.5k in interest this tax year. She receives no other income, does not work and does not claim any state benefits or pension. 

Does she need to complete a self-assessment tax return for 2025-26?

My understanding is that if total interest is under £10k then you don’t complete a self-assessment. But I’m not sure whether having no other income at all impacts this?

Thanks. 🙂

From what you've posted she has no need to file a return.

Is she doing the turn £2,880 into £3,600 pension game?

alamest

From what you’ve said, she doesn’t need to complete a Self Assessment return.

If her only income is savings interest and it’s under £10k, HMRC won’t require a return. The tax (if any is due) is usually handled automatically via PAYE coding, or simply not due at all if it’s covered by the Personal Savings Allowance.

The fact she doesn’t work or have any other income doesn’t change that requirement – it’s the type and level of income that matters.

Worth just keeping an eye on the figures in case the interest creeps over £10k in future years, but based on this year’s numbers there’s nothing she needs to file.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

alamest said:

From what you’ve said, she doesn’t need to complete a Self Assessment return.

If her only income is savings interest and it’s under £10k, HMRC won’t require a return. The tax (if any is due) is usually handled automatically via PAYE coding, or simply not due at all if it’s covered by the Personal Savings Allowance.

The fact she doesn’t work or have any other income doesn’t change that requirement – it’s the type and level of income that matters.

Worth just keeping an eye on the figures in case the interest creeps over £10k in future years, but based on this year’s numbers there’s nothing she needs to file.

The Personal Savings Allowance won't be of any use to her though, the interest would have to be significantly more for that to be a factor.

What_time_is_it

Dazed_and_C0nfused said:

What_time_is_it said:

Hi there.
My partner will be paid around £9.5k in interest this tax year. She receives no other income, does not work and does not claim any state benefits or pension. 

Does she need to complete a self-assessment tax return for 2025-26?

My understanding is that if total interest is under £10k then you don’t complete a self-assessment. But I’m not sure whether having no other income at all impacts this?

Thanks. 🙂

From what you've posted she has no need to file a return.

Is she doing the turn £2,880 into £3,600 pension game?

Yes she is. She’ll be paying into a SIPP.
Does that impact anything? 

BooJewels

As a side note, as my circumstances are similar to your wife's - has she paid enough National Insurance to secure her full state pension?  I've just paid my 35th year and secured mine.

What_time_is_it

BooJewels said:

As a side note, as my circumstances are similar to your wife's - has she paid enough National Insurance to secure her full state pension?  I've just paid my 35th year and secured mine.

Not yet. She paid enough for a full year this year to move to 29 full years.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

What_time_is_it said:

Dazed_and_C0nfused said:

What_time_is_it said:

Hi there.
My partner will be paid around £9.5k in interest this tax year. She receives no other income, does not work and does not claim any state benefits or pension. 

Does she need to complete a self-assessment tax return for 2025-26?

My understanding is that if total interest is under £10k then you don’t complete a self-assessment. But I’m not sure whether having no other income at all impacts this?

Thanks. 🙂

From what you've posted she has no need to file a return.

Is she doing the turn £2,880 into £3,600 pension game?

Yes she is. She’ll be paying into a SIPP.
Does that impact anything? 

Nope, she just gets £720 despite paying no tax 😉

Eco_Miser

alamest said:

From what you’ve said, she doesn’t need to complete a Self Assessment return.

If her only income is savings interest and it’s under £10k, HMRC won’t require a return. The tax (if any is due) is usually handled automatically via PAYE coding, or simply not due at all if it’s covered by the Personal Savings Allowance.

The fact she doesn’t work or have any other income doesn’t change that requirement – it’s the type and level of income that matters.

Worth just keeping an eye on the figures in case the interest creeps over £10k in future years, but based on this year’s numbers there’s nothing she needs to file.

No job, no pension, therefore no PAYE to deduct from.

Interest is under £10k therefore covered by Personal Allowance (not Personal Savings Allowance). The PSA doesn't get used by a non-worker, non-pensioner until interest is over £17570 (PA + Starter Rate for Savings) 

Bigwheels1111

No, is the simple answer.
Go to HMRC.
Do I need to file a self assessment return.
Gives you an answer there and then.

https://www.gov.uk/check-if-you-need-tax-return

Are you paying tax on your savings, if so your wife could earn another 8k plus in interest.
Without any tax to pay.

Self assessment only takes 20 - 30 minutes.
I do it every year.