HMRC email updates, videos and webinars if you’re self-employed
Learn more about your responsibilities if you’re running a small business including registration, tax returns, record keeping, tax bills and payments.
Subscribe to receive email updates
Subscribe to the HMRC help and support email service to get information on a wide range of topics for individuals, businesses, employers and agents.
You can also:
- make changes to your topic subscriptions
- unsubscribe from the service whenever you want
Registering and joining webinars
You can register for webinars in advance but we recommend you join each webinar 5 minutes before the start.
Tax basics — a starter guide for small businesses
Recorded webinar
Watch a recorded webinar about tax basics — a starter guide for small businesses.
If you’re thinking of starting your own business, you can find out about why it is important to get your tax right and all the basics you’ll need to know.
You will learn about:
- business banking, accountants and record keeping
- Income Tax, VAT, Corporation Tax, National Insurance contributions
- employing people and Pay As You Earn (PAYE)
- registering your business with HMRC
- expenses you can claim and tax reliefs
- how tax works if your business is a side hustle
- what happens after you start paying tax
- budgeting for your first tax bill and correcting errors
Record keeping
Live webinar
Register for the next live webinar about record keeping for the self-employed.
This webinar is aimed at sole traders and partnerships. It is not suitable for those with limited liability partnerships or limited companies.
This webinar gives an overview on and the importance of keeping good business records.
You will learn about:
- unfamiliar terms
- using records to work out taxable profits
- information to record
- records where there is business and private use
Recorded webinar
Watch a recorded webinar about record keeping for the self-employed.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax
Get ready for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax
Live webinar
Register for the next live webinar about how to get ready for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
This webinar will help you understand more about Making Tax Digital for Income Tax and the steps you can take to get yourself ready.
You will learn about:
- the new rules and when they will affect you
- what you or your agent will need to do
- choosing the right software
- signing up for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax
- how to authorise an agent
- following the rules
- benefits and opportunities
Recorded webinar
Watch a recorded webinar about how to get ready for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
Get ready for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax if you are a landlord and joint property owner
Live webinar
Register for the next live webinar about Making Tax Digital for Income Tax if you are a landlord and joint property owner.
You will learn about:
- the new rules and when they will affect you
- what you or your agent will need to do
- choosing the right software
- how to authorise an agent and sign up
- following the rules
- benefits and opportunities
Recorded webinar
Get ready for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax if you’re a sole trader or landlord without an accountant or bookkeeper
Live webinar
Register for the next live webinar about how to get ready for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax if you’re a sole trader or landlord without an accountant or bookkeeper.
This webinar will cover how to sign up and be ready for Making Tax Digital when you have to start using it.
You will learn about:
- the new rules and when they affect you
- what you need to do
- choosing the right software
- how to authorise an agent and sign up
- following the rules
- benefits and opportunities
Recorded webinar
Self Assessment
New to Self Assessment
Watch a collection of videos about Self Assessment on YouTube.
You will find out about:
- key dates
- the tax return
- understanding your calculation
- budgeting for and paying your tax bill
- record keeping
- the HMRC app
- personal and business tax accounts
Starting Self Assessment
Watch a collection of videos to find out about starting Self Assessment on YouTube.
You will find out about:
- how to register for Self Assessment
- which structure to use when registering
- why you would be sent a tax return
- your first Self Assessment tax return
- cryptoassets and paying tax
Online Self Assessment tax return
Watch a collection of videos about your online Self Assessment tax return on YouTube.
You will find out about:
- starting your tax return
the different sections of the return including:
- the self-employment section
- the UK property section
- other income and tax reliefs
- finishing your return
- your calculation and payments
Filling in tax returns
Watch a collection of videos to find out about filling in tax returns on YouTube.
You will find out about:
- tailoring your Self Assessment tax returns
- state benefits and your online tax return
- PAYE underpayments
- estimated underpayments
- declaring foreign income to HMRC
- claiming expenditure against Capital Gains Tax
- cryptoassets and paying tax
Self-employed tax returns
Watch a collection of videos to find out about self-employed tax returns on YouTube.
You will find out about:
- basic record keeping
- your self-employed tax return
- cash basis and simplified expenses
- what expenses you can include in your Self Assessment tax return
- claiming motoring expenses
- calculating your business expenses for rent, rates power and insurance costs
- other allowable business expenses
- Class 2 National Insurance contributions
Self Assessment tax bills
Watch a collection of videos to find out about Self Assessment tax bills on YouTube.
You will find out about:
- viewing your Self Assessment tax return calculation
- budgeting for your Self Assessment tax bill
- paying your Self Assessment tax bill
- using the HMRC app to make a Self Assessment payment
- help if you cannot pay your tax bill
- Self Assessment penalties
- appealing a late filing penalty
Student loan and postgraduate loan tax returns
You will find out about:
- why your tax return asks about income contingent student loans
- why your tax return asks about postgraduate loans
- how to show student loan and postgraduate loan repayments on your tax return
UK property income — tax returns
Watch a collection of videos to find out about UK property income — tax returns on YouTube.
You will find out about:
- filling in tax returns if you have income from a property
- Rent-a-Room relief
- joint lettings
- the property income allowance
- rent, rates, insurance and ground rent
- property repairs and maintenance
- loan interest and other financial costs
- other allowance property expenses
Starting your online tax return
Live webinar
Register for the next live webinar about starting your online tax return.
This webinar will cover how to get started with completing your online Self Assessment tax return.
You will learn about:
- who must send a tax return
- starting your tax return
- the ‘Tell us about you’ page
- tailoring your tax return
Recorded webinar
Watch a recorded webinar about starting your online tax return.
The employment section of your online tax return
Live webinar
Register for the next live webinar about the employment section of your online tax return.
This webinar will help you understand more about filling in the employment section of your online Self Assessment tax return.
You will learn about:
- what employment records you will need
- the employment page of your tax return
- showing taxable employment benefits and expenses
- claiming tax relief on work related expenses
- student loan and postgraduate loan deductions
Recorded webinar
Watch a recorded webinar about the employment section of your online tax return.
The self-employment section of your online tax return
Live webinar
Register for the next live webinar about the self-employment section of your online tax return.
This webinar will cover how to fill in the self-employment section of your online Self Assessment tax return.
You will learn about entering:
- details of your business and turnover
- expenses
- capital allowances and balancing charges
- other tax adjustments
- losses
- tax deducted and Class 4 National Insurance contributions
- Class 2 National Insurance contributions
Recorded webinar
Watch a recorded webinar about the self-employment section of your online tax return.
The UK property section of your online tax return
Live webinar
Register for the next live webinar about the UK property section of your online tax return.
This webinar will cover filling in the UK property section of your online Self Assessment tax return.
You will learn about:
- Rent-a-Room relief and joint lettings
- the qualifying conditions for furnished holiday lettings
- when to record income and expenses
- the property income allowance
- the property expenses page
- adjustments for other property income
- profits and losses for other property income
Recorded webinar
Watch a recorded webinar about the UK property section of your online tax return.
Other income and tax reliefs on your online tax return
Live webinar
Register for the next live webinar about other income and tax reliefs on your online tax return.
This webinar will help you understand other income and tax reliefs on your online tax return.
You will learn about what qualifies as other income, such as:
- bank interest
- dividend income
- state pensions
- other state benefits
- work pensions
- High Income Child Benefit Charge
And what you may get reliefs on, including:
- payments into pensions
- payments to charity
- blind persons relief
- marriage allowance
Recorded webinar
Watch a recorded webinar about other income and tax reliefs on your online tax return.
Finishing your online tax return
Live webinar
Register for the next live webinar about finishing your online tax return.
This webinar will help you understand how to finish your online Self Assessment tax return.
You will learn about:
- underpaid tax and other debts
- overpaid tax
- what to do if you’ve not paid enough tax
- checking your return
- saving and submitting your return
- amending your return after you’ve sent it
Recorded webinar
Watch a recorded webinar about finishing your online tax return.
Your Self Assessment calculation and payments
Live webinar
Register for the next live webinar about your Self Assessment calculation and payments.
The webinar will cover your Self Assessment tax return calculation and payments.
You will learn about:
- what’s included in your calculation
- payments on account
- the full Self Assessment calculation
- what to pay and when
- budget payment plans
- payments already made
- how to pay
- what to do if you cannot pay on time
Recorded webinar
Watch a recorded webinar about your Self Assessment calculation and payments.
Online tax return help for landlords
Check help and support for landlords to watch catch up webinars on how to fill in your online tax return for income from property.
Business expenses
Watch our short series of videos about expenses.
Self-employment records you need to keep
Watch a video about self-employment records that you will need to keep.
What self-employment records do I need to keep?.
You will find out about:
- what records to keep
- how to organise and keep your records and for how long
- keeping personal and business transactions separate
- VAT and making tax digital
Self-employed expenses you can include in your tax return
Watch a video about what expenses to include in your Self Assessment tax return.
What self-employed expenses can I include in my tax return?.
You will find out about:
- travel
- office equipment
- staff costs and more
Car expenses for the self-employed
Live webinar
Register for the next live webinar about car expenses for the self-employed.
This webinar is for self-employed sole traders and self-employed partnerships. It is not suitable for limited companies, or company directors.
You’ll learn about:
- what a business journey is
- flat rate expenses
- actual cost method
- capital allowances
- hire purchases and leasing arrangements
Recorded webinar
Watch a recorded webinar about car expenses for the self-employed.
Residential property income for individuals
Residential property income for individuals — an introduction
Live webinar
Register for the next live webinar about residential property income for individuals — an introduction.
You’ll learn about:
- what we mean by income from property
- when to record income and expenses (traditional accounting and cash basis)
- property income allowance
- the Rent-a-Room Room Scheme
This webinar will not tell you about:
- allowable expenses and deductions from property income
- Capital Gains Tax
- Stamp Duty Land Tax
- Inheritance Tax
Recorded webinar
Watch a recorded webinar about residential property income for individuals ― an introduction.
Residential property income for individuals — expenses and deductions
Live webinar
Register for the next live webinar about residential property income for individuals — expenses and deductions.
You’ll learn about:
- revenue and capital expenses
- repairs and improvement costs
- expenses before you start letting your property
- mortgage and finance costs
- travel costs for business journeys
- replacement of domestic items relief
This webinar will not tell you about the basics of letting property.
Recorded webinar
Watch a recorded webinar about residential property income for individuals ― expenses and deductions.
Business expenses for the self-employed
Live webinar
Register for the next live webinar about business expenses for the self-employed.
You’ll learn about:
- what allowable business expenses are
- the most common business expenses, to show what is and is not allowable
- simplified expenses
- record keeping
- entering accurate figures on your tax return
Recorded webinar
Watch a recorded webinar about business expenses for the self-employed.
Capital allowances
Live webinar
Register for the next live webinar about capital allowances for the self-employed.
This webinar is for the self-employed who use traditional accounting and not cash basis accounting.
You will learn about tax relief for plant and machinery, including business vehicles, computers and equipment.
You will also learn about:
- annual investment allowance
- first year allowances
- writing down allowances
- record keeping
This webinar does not tell you about tax relief for cars used for business. To learn about this, there is the webinar ‘Car expenses for the self-employed’ in the ‘Business expenses’ section.
Recorded webinar
Watch a recorded webinar about capital allowances for the self-employed.
Online sellers
Watch a collection of videos about online sellers on YouTube.
You will find out about:
- reporting rules for online sellers
- what you need to do
How to add a tax to your business tax account
Watch a video about how to add a tax to your business tax account.
How to add a tax through your business tax account.
You will find out how to add services to your business tax account including:
- Self Assessment
- Corporation Tax
- PAYE for employers
- VAT
How to store your National Insurance number to your Apple or Google wallet
Watch a video about how to store your National Insurance number to your Apple or Google wallet.
Storing your National Insurance number to your Apple or Google wallet.
You will find out about:
- adding your National Insurance number to Apple or Google Wallet
- signing in to the HMRC app for the first time
- when you’re in the app
- using your online account to add to your wallet
- further help and support
Labour fraud
Watch a collection of videos about fraud in the labour supply chain on YouTube.
You will find out about:
- what mini umbrella company fraud is
- what labour fraud is in the construction industry
State Pension
Watch a collection of videos about the State Pension and tax on YouTube.
You will find out about:
- how increases to the State Pension can affect your pay
- how you pay any tax due on your State Pension if it’s more than your Personal Allowance
Stamp Duty Land Tax
Stamp Duty Land Tax: when is a property not suitable for use as a dwelling
Watch a video about Stamp Duty Land Tax: when is a property not suitable for use as a dwelling.
Stamp Duty Land Tax: when is a property not suitable for use as a dwelling.
You will find out about the situations when a property is not suitable for use as a dwelling for Stamp Duty Land Tax purposes.
What is the Informants Scheme when reporting tax fraud or avoidance
Recorded webinar
Watch a recorded webinar on the Informants Scheme when reporting tax fraud or avoidance.
The Informants Scheme is a campaign to encourage people to report tax fraud in exchange for a reward.
You will find out about:
- what the Informants Scheme is
- who can make a report
- who can benefit
- what information you’ll need to provide
- what happens after making a report
- the confidentiality of the information you provide