The Complete Self Assessment Tax Return Checklist

There’s a lot to remember if you need to submit a Self Assessment tax return to HMRC. Our Self Assessment checklist details everything you need to include when sending your tax return.

If you need more help, ask one of our online accountants a question – for free!

Do I need to submit a Self Assessment tax return?

If you earned more than £1,000 from self-employed sole trader or freelance work in the last tax year, then you’ll usually need to submit Self Assessment.

You’ll also need to send a return if you’re a partner in a business partnership, or if you earn money which isn’t from your employer or pension.

If you’re brand new to Self Assessment tax returns, download our guide below.

Showing all employments for the year

Your Self Assessment tax return will need to include the details of any employments for that tax year. This might include work that you’ve done for an employer, or as the employee of your own company.

You’ll need to provide the details of how much you earned from each employment, and any tax that you’ve already paid on it. For instance, the tax that your employer deducts when they pay your wages.

Earnings and tax information will be shown on your P60 for that tax year (or your P45 if you left). If you worked for more than one employer in a tax year, make sure you include all of them on your return!

You’ll also need to tell HMRC about any employee benefits that you receive. This is because staff perks don’t go through payroll, so you’ll need to confirm their equivalent cash value.

Your employer will give you a copy of your P11D showing the details of any benefits you’ve received.

Income from a pension

Your Self Assessment tax return should also include the details of any pension income or taxable lump sums that you receive in a tax year.

If it’s an occupational pension (one set up by your employer) then your P60 or certificate of pension paid will show how much pension you’ve received.
Your notification letter will tell you information about your state pension.

Your self-employment and partnerships

Whether you made a profit or a loss, you’ll need to include your self-employment activities on your Self Assessment tax return.

Refer to your business records for the figures you’ll need.

Investment and other income

If you receive any income from investments or other sources, then declare this on your Self Assessment return too. There are several potential sources, so we’ve set out a table which shows the kind of investment income you might have, and which documents show the information you need.

Investment income type	Documents to refer to
Dividends from a UK company or unit trust, including shares (or units in lieu of dividends)	Dividend/distribution vouchers showing the dividend received, as well as the date and tax credit.
Income from trusts, settlements, Deeds of Covenant and estates	R185 or certificates of income and tax deducted.
Income from property	All income and expenditure records, including any mortgage interest statements.
Interest from banks and building societies	Certificates of interest received and tax deducted.
Interest from banks or building societies, received gross	Statements of interest received.
Money withdrawn from life assurance policies or bonds	Your Chargeable Event Certificate from the life assurance company.
National Savings interest received gross	Statements of interest received.
Overseas income	This might be in the form of dividend vouchers or other documents.

Your other relevant outgoings

There might be costs associated with your self-employed business that you can also include on your Self Assessment tax return.

Types of outgoings	Documents or examples
Employment expenses	A list of tax deductible expenses such as professional subscriptions or travel expenses Pension contributions paid by you Payments made (dates, amounts, policy details) and copy documentation
Gift Aid or Deed of Covenant payments	Gift Aid payments (charity, date and amount) and covenant details
Qualifying loans and mortgages	Lender’s statements showing interest paid and tax relief given
Student Loan repayments	Student Loans Company statement
Other payments qualifying for tax relief	For instance, payments to other people.

Capital Transactions

You might also need to include the details of any Capital Gains on your Self Assessment tax return. Capital Gains Tax is paid if you make a profit by ‘disposing’ of an asset that you own. Usually this means that you’ve sold it, but it might also means that you’ve given it away, swapped it, or compensated in another way for its loss.

In need of a new accountant for Self Assessment season? Get in touch with the TAP team by calling 020 3355 4047 or get an instant quotation.

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Elizabeth Hughes

A content writer specialising in business, finance, software, and beyond. I'm a wordsmith with a penchant for puns and making complex subjects accessible. Learn more about Elizabeth.

The Complete Self Assessment Tax Return Checklist