Self employed - what kind of business expenses do you claim for/document?

[Comfysock]

All new to me, just started out. No office working freelance from home marketing and PR. By ApriI I know I will have gone over £1,000 threshold for tax. So far Im wondering if I can claim.for:

I took a client for lunch it was a working lunch to discuss a project. I paid cash but have a receipt

Have a breakfast meeting booked this weekend for a potential new client. Can I claim for this if I pay?

Petrol and mileage - although car isnt registeted/insured for business use...commute to, and for social domestic pleasure

Printer ink cartridges, I need to buy for work useage

What else can I document for work, I dont habe a clue!

Yes for sure

same for council tax, bills etc. All depends on the rooms in your house

my tax guy has a calculator he’s using for these stuff, i don’t do myself for sure

my point is that certain accountants are way more knowledgeable than others

That's dangerously incorrect advice I'm afraid. Using your car for business purposes (travelling to events, meetings etc) is very different to the hire and reward cover a taxi or delivery driver needs. But also differnt to social, domestic and commuting cover. Most organised businesses ask for proof of the correct cover for business use to be on file before allowing an expense claim

What "triviality rules"?

Please show me which part of tax law says you get a tax deduction for entertaining when you bought the drink as "basic courtesy".

There is a word for deliberately underpaying tax by claiming deductions to which you are not entitled.

If the op takes deduction for a thousand pounds worth of £10-20 here and there entertaining, that's not trivial anyway.

Good god, please log off Mumsnet and go and find yourself a qualified accountant.

Just make an appointment with a qualified accountant. The cost of this is an allowable expense. Such a lot of misinformation posted on here.

Gosh I litetally will be doing a self assessement 5-6April (I started 1 day a week freelance in Dec) I litetally wont have earnt that much. So didnt ferl the need for an accountant but now Im wondering if I should....although that will probably cost me a big chuck of what Im going to earn!

The cost of the accountant can be claimed as an expense and is well worth it at the start for the peace of mind that it’s correct

Ooo I didnt know that, Im def doing it then!

This is some of the worst advice I have ever seen given on here. There are different levels of business insurance, one is where you are driving in order to earn a profit i.e. delivering. The other is commuting from destination to destination. Even people who are employed and travel to different places of work need business insurance, and you OP, definitely do. My insurance was actually cheaper with business cover added on. It really isn't worth not being covered. You can't claim car insurance as an expense though unless your vehicle is solely for business use, and generally it will need signage on it. You can claim 45p per mile though.

Thanks everyone for this year Im going to get an accountant to do it

My first bit of advice to anyone starting out: get an accountant. They will save you more than you pay them.

and yes, get your car insured for business!