Doing tax return, some advice please (thanks)

As far as I am aware only the items listed on the HMRC website are claimable.

This is totally the opposite of the truth - ANY revenue expense can be claimed that is incurred wholly and necessarily for your business (even if it is one part of an expense another part of which is incurred for another purpose, like a TV license for a TV which is used exclusively for your business 40% of the time and by your family 60% of the time) EXCEPT certain expenses, mainly expenditure on building work (other than maintenance and repairs) and client entertaining (which I have never known a childminder do ).

You CAN claim a proportion of mortgage interest if you use any part of your home part of the time EXCLUSIVELY for childminding (this means you cannot be looking after your own children at the same time). If you can do this you can usually claim much higher proportions of Council Tax, water rates, service charge ets. as well.

The calculations are not simple though, and I don't recommend anyone does this themselves - you need to get an accountant. Trying to get something sorted before the end of January is not going to be easy so you might need to submit the accounts yourself and pay the tax and then resubmit and claim a refund later: note that any alterations for 2008/9 must be submitted by 5 April 2013.

A proportion of contents insurance CAN be claimed (and buildings insurance too if you are using the arrangements mentioned above). It can be difficult to apportion how much of this relates to your childminding business: HMRC have accepted 10% in some cases, but this is no guarantee that if they inspected you they wouldn't dispute it.

Print off the online bill or statement and keep it with your records, even an email confirming payment should have the relevant date, amount account number etc. Keep your bank statements and invoices/receipts for all bills paid. Keep a record of the basis you have used to work out the apportionment between business and private use and it is good to get into the habit of writing up your income and expenditure records regularly, rather than trying to reconstruct it after the end of the tax year.

You cannot claim mortgage or insurance unless it is directly related to the business (e.g. public liability insurance). As far as I am aware only the items listed on the HMRC website are claimable. Otherwise you are effectively asking the taxpayer to finance your household expenses and if they are not directly related to the business why should they?

You cannot claim mortgage ... not even the interest. Tried that last year but my accountant said I'm having a laugh I was trying it on. It would have been nice to be able to claim it.
Not sure about contents insurance ... we're claiming 10% of wear and tear though.