Self employment with 0 earnings?

[zzzexhaustedzzz]

Hi, simple question, I have earned a bit through SE for the last few years but this year I am under the £1000 threshold. I also claim some tax credits. Is there any advantage to continuing to be registered this year and declaring 0? I will probably continue to earn through SE next year and probably be over the threshold again.

Yes just carry on doing self assessment, it doesn't matter if it 0. You won't get tax credits otherwise.

Yes, still do it. It'll take you longer to get through to HMRC to get them to take you off self-assessment than to submit the return. And as PP said, you'll need it for tax credits. And also pay the class 2 NI voluntarily if you're not paying NI elsewhere and don't get credits: https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance-credits/eligibility

Thankyou for that, I will continue as normal.

Ugh! I can’t get my head round it this year!
So previously I used the trading allowance and had some profit that I declared and paid a small amount of tax on.
This year I only made 400 pounds and want to use the trading allowance again. I entered the 400 in the net profit box. Is that wrong? Should it be 0? I thought I’d done it all right but now it’s saying I owe them 180ish pounds? Confused. Doesn’t say what for.
The helpline isn’t available til September!

Do you have other income? You shouldn't have any tax on £400, if that's your only income?
Is £400 your profit or income? You put the amount of your sales in income, and then the same amount (assuming below £1k) in the trading allowance box. Make sure the profit is zero.

Thanks, 4Magpies, I do have other income and am over the tax threshold with that. Maybe I haven’t paid enough, all told. Will check boxes again.