tax return - expenses

[exchildminder]

Hi mumsnetters

Sadly I have had to give up childminding as I wasn't getting any work :(.

I am filling out my first tax return and I am struggling with it, how do I calculate my expenses, weekly or monthly, my laptop has broken and I had the file on it with my expenses, so I dont know what I have to do now. I am paniking now.

Please help

T.I.A

I'm not an expert, but for your tax return you just need a 'total figure' for your expenses. You don't have long before the deadline, so you'll need to get adding up quickly!

Off the top of my head:

• add up all your receipts (again :()
• find all your bills (c. tax, water, electricity, gas etc) and work out the proportions you can charge (which depend on how many hours you've worked)
• add up the cost of food
• add up the cost of trips

Any help?

ps I believe if you submit your tax return and realise you've missed something you can alter it afterwards, so its better to get something entered quickly and pay what you believe you owe - otherwise you'll be charged late fees.

thank you so much, so I just take the 10% off the total amount in the last year?

If you only worked the number of hours to take off 10% electric etc, also remember the 10% you take off for wear and tear -do this before you take anything else off.

On the Hmrc website there's a fact sheet specific to childminders that might help you or go on www.childmindingforum.co.uk and there's info.