Requirement to register for self-assessment

Famau

Just before Christmas I received a letter from HMRC stating that I asked to register for self-assessment or met a criteria for needing to be registered.  It can only be the latter, as I haven't asked, and do have some house sale proceeds earning interest. I am retired, on a modest pension, but the building society interest I mention may be just around the 10k mark for the last year. I understand that 10k interest puts me into self-assessment space.

However, I am a little confused.   The letter is wrongly dated December 2026.  It does not state that a self-assessment is actually required, just that I register.  It would be short notice at this stage to complete registration and then cobble a return together by 31 Jan for 24-25; I'm sort of assuming that the requirement is for me to register and then wait for HMRC to ask me to complete a self-assessment - probably for for 25-26 - in due course.  I seem unable to contact HMRC to get some clarity.

Either way, the letter is disappointingly vague and ambiguous.  Does anyone have any thoughts or advice?  

thanks....  

Albermarle

Might be worth running through this check list.
Check if you need to send a Self Assessment tax return - GOV.UK

eskbanker

You should be able to identify if you earned interest income of £10K in 2024/25, and if you did then they'll now be aware of this and I'd have thought they'd expect you to self-assess by the end of the month, so I'd just get on with registering.  Self-assessment isn't an onerous process, so nothing to be concerned about....

Famau

Quick update - the letter does say that HMRC would normally contact me after 6 April each year to ask for a self assessment return.  As the letter didn't explicitly ask for a return then I guess I can wait with impunity - though, as I say, it would help if HMRC were less ambiguous in their communications.

Thanks for the replies - appreciated

eskbanker

Famau said:

Quick update - the letter does say that HMRC would normally contact me after 6 April each year to ask for a self assessment return.  As the letter didn't explicitly ask for a return then I guess I can wait with impunity - though, as I say, it would help if HMRC were less ambiguous in their communications.

Thanks for the replies - appreciated

The online information is clear that you need to self-assess if you earn over £10K of savings interest, so it seems plausible that they'd hold you to that even if they didn't formally request it.  I don't see that there's anything to lose by registering anyway, but will you have an income tax liability for 2024/25?

Isthisforreal99

Famau said:

Quick update - the letter does say that HMRC would normally contact me after 6 April each year to ask for a self assessment return.  As the letter didn't explicitly ask for a return then I guess I can wait with impunity - though, as I say, it would help if HMRC were less ambiguous in their communications.

Thanks for the replies - appreciated

But if it's for 2024-25 that ship has sailed, the relevant '6 April' for 24/25 was 6 April 2025.

It's quite simple, if your interest was over £10k for 24/25 you need to register NOW. If you owe tax it's due to be paid by 31 January otherwise it will attract late payment interest. The onus being on you to register.

Famau

hmm - thanks both.  perhaps I shouldn't trust HMRC to contact me as they say and should just get on and submit.  I will owe a little (though they've adjusted my tax code so it won't be much) - and best to avoid interest penalties....

DRS1

When I did it registering for self assessment took some time as stuff had to come through the post.  

But do you already have access to your personal tax account?  Maybe it is easy if you already do have that access.