Working from home - Do I need to tell the Inland Revenue - Advice Please

[MrsNorthman]

I have been working from home for a couple of years now, and have been doing secretarial work for a committee. My current earnings are both below Income Tax and National Insurance. I was told, when I took the work on that it was not necessary for me to register this work as the income was so low.

I have now had the offer from a friend to do some data entry work at home (in addition to the secretarial work I do for the committee) and this extra money will take me above National Insurance limits and slightly above Income Tax limits so I need to register for self employment.

Will the fact that I have never registered in the past for the secretarial work I do get me into trouble with the IR?

Your thoughts would be most helpful.

HMRC do not have the manpower to play Hercule Poirot on your past employment history. :) They will take what you tell them on face value and start there. If you haven't worked up until now (which is effectively what you're saying) then they'll treat you the same way as they would someone returning to work after having children.

Answer the questions asked. Don't offer more information than requested. HMRC will be happy.

Even if it comes out that you have been working previously they will ask you to complete self assessment tax returns and will calculate penalties based on the amount of tax due. As the tax due is £nil then there's not going to be a penalty. So you don't need to worry.
Details on how to register are here