Do you need to register?
If you have started working for yourself and earned more than £1,000 in self-employment income in a tax year, you need to register for Self Assessment. The deadline to register is 5 October following the end of the tax year in which you started trading, so if you started trading during the 2025 to 2026 tax year, you would need to register by 5 October 2026.
What information you will need
- Your National Insurance number
- Your contact details and date of birth
- Details of your business, including when you started trading and what the business does
How to register
Registration is done online through HMRC. If you do not already have one, you will need to set up a Government Gateway account, then use it to sign up for Self Assessment, and for most self-employed people, Class 2 National Insurance, completing HMRC’s registration form with your personal and business details.
Your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR)
Once registered, HMRC will post you a ten-digit Unique Taxpayer Reference, usually within around ten working days. You will need this UTR every time you file a Self Assessment return, so it is worth registering in good time rather than leaving it until close to a filing deadline.
What happens after you register
Each year you will need to complete a Self Assessment return declaring your income, and pay any Income Tax and National Insurance due. The main filing and payment deadline is 31 January following the end of the tax year, for returns filed online.
How MLA Chartered Accountants can help
We can register you for Self Assessment, or take the whole process off your hands entirely, then prepare and file your return each year so you know exactly what you owe and when it is due.