Any questions for the HMRC?

[Chatterbox Childcare]

As the title says do you?

I am going to the NCMA ARM tomorrow and we are having a tax workshop, so if anyone has any issues that they would like addressing please let me know.

I am leaving at 8am tomorrow (Saturday) so please post today if you can

[AgentTink]

Yes please, I am fed up of trying to work out the cost of every meal I serve as the price for things constantly change. Is there a quicker way of us calculating food expences that they would accept such as a set amount per breakfast, set amount per Lunch and so on. Or are they okay with us getting our weekly food bil and just simply dividing it by the total amount of people it feeds ie family and mindees and then times by the amount of mindees.

[sarah707]

Yes please, I am fed up of trying to work out the cost of every meal I serve as the price for things constantly change. Is there a quicker way of us calculating food expences that they would accept such as a set amount per breakfast, set amount per Lunch and so on. Or are they okay with us getting our weekly food bil and just simply dividing it by the total amount of people it feeds ie family and mindees and then times by the amount of mindees.

You do not need to work out every meal! Whoever told you that?? :panic:

You use a sensible amount based on current food costs, checked against your food bills every so often to make sure it is still about right.

What a waste of your time :(

[maluvsya89]

i registered in december 2011 and i brought supplies like a filing cabinet and ink nad paper and files and every thing els but i didnt get any children till the feburaury so didnt go self employed till my first day (as thats what they told me to do)
ive been told i cant claim tax on this but how are you suppose to get everything ready before your first actual day with out spending a penny??

can you please find out if i can claim on expenses before going self employed as i have lost out alot of money other wise!

thank you x

[Heaven Scent]

I was told you could - they are called "Set up costs" so long as its not too much so your opening balance is a minus figure of your total set up costs. - Does this make sense?

[maluvsya89]

I was told you could - they are called "Set up costs" so long as its not too much so your opening balance is a minus figure of your total set up costs. - Does this make sense?

NOOOO lol its not too much bout £150 tops maybe? i have no idea what to do or any thing im dumb as when it comes to things like this but i couldnt book on to a self tax course as they are either to far or start at 7 (still having to get bus there) when i finish at 6 :( im sure i can find some fellow minders to help me out but cheers any ways x

[aly]

NOOOO lol its not too much bout £150 tops maybe? i have no idea what to do or any thing im dumb as when it comes to things like this but i couldnt book on to a self tax course as they are either to far or start at 7 (still having to get bus there) when i finish at 6 :( im sure i can find some fellow minders to help me out but cheers any ways x
those tax courses are rubbish, they are aimed at the other self employed and not really useful for childminders, i went on one.

of course you can put all those in as start up costs...

Who told you this?

[ziggy]

sorry to be such an idiot but i'm still confused about percentage we can claim for phone bill or tv licence:blush:

[maluvsya89]

those tax courses are rubbish, they are aimed at the other self employed and not really useful for childminders, i went on one.

of course you can put all those in as start up costs...

Who told you this?

oooo thats ok then!!! another childminder ages ago before i even set up!!!! luckily i aint got much to put in as it was only 2months worth of incomes and expenses but i've been on top of it and write every thing in my accounts books the same day when i spend/recieve..

i live with my parents at the moment to and some one also said that i wont be able to claim council tax water gas etc cos i am not paying the bill?? but both my parents work from 730 till 630pm mon-fri and some saturdays and its only me n my mindees in the house using it really?? i look after my 1/2 bro n sis full time and because i live with my parents they pay £600 a month as all my rent and food etc come out of it?!?! another person mentioned i could claim 5% instead of the 10!! crise this is crazy moving out soon so hopefully will be much better then!! x

sorry bout all the questions x

[sarah707]

oooo thats ok then!!! another childminder ages ago before i even set up!!!! luckily i aint got much to put in as it was only 2months worth of incomes and expenses but i've been on top of it and write every thing in my accounts books the same day when i spend/recieve..

i live with my parents at the moment to and some one also said that i wont be able to claim council tax water gas etc cos i am not paying the bill?? but both my parents work from 730 till 630pm mon-fri and some saturdays and its only me n my mindees in the house using it really?? i look after my 1/2 bro n sis full time and because i live with my parents they pay £600 a month as all my rent and food etc come out of it?!?! another person mentioned i could claim 5% instead of the 10!! crise this is crazy moving out soon so hopefully will be much better then!! x

sorry bout all the questions x

You should ring the self assessment line and ask their advice.

Yes you will be able to claim if you work in premises where you pay for the bills!! How much I am not sure - but HMRC will be able to tell you.

Please get the answer from them and then you are sure it's right :D

[aly]

You should ring the self assessment line and ask their advice.

Yes you will be able to claim if you work in premises where you pay for the bills!! How much I am not sure - but HMRC will be able to tell you.

Please get the answer from them and then you are sure it's right :D
As sarah says check with HMRC then you have it fromt he horses mouth....im pretty sure you can claim.....

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Yes please, I am fed up of trying to work out the cost of every meal I serve as the price for things constantly change. Is there a quicker way of us calculating food expences that they would accept such as a set amount per breakfast, set amount per Lunch and so on. Or are they okay with us getting our weekly food bil and just simply dividing it by the total amount of people it feeds ie family and mindees and then times by the amount of mindees.

I take my weekly bill and divide exactly as you have said. it is quick, easy and up to date with prices. If you have the same amount of mindees each week you could do it monthly too.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

i registered in december 2011 and i brought supplies like a filing cabinet and ink nad paper and files and every thing els but i didnt get any children till the feburaury so didnt go self employed till my first day (as thats what they told me to do)
ive been told i cant claim tax on this but how are you suppose to get everything ready before your first actual day with out spending a penny??

can you please find out if i can claim on expenses before going self employed as i have lost out alot of money other wise!

thank you x

Put all your expenses through on the first day of trading..

[Chatterbox Childcare]

sorry to be such an idiot but i'm still confused about percentage we can claim for phone bill or tv licence:blush:

There isn't a stated percentage, you have to work out the exact percentage

Take your phone statement, highlight work calls and work out the percentage

i.e. 150 calls, 73 business and 77 personal - bill is £35

£35 divided by 150 and multiply it by 73 = £17.04 claim. The tv licence you will have to work out on time used. Personally I do 10% which I am sure is not enough but would rather give my time to the larger amounts I need to claim.

I have my home line and mobile, I worked out my useage based on the above and found that my mobile was 98% business most months and the home phone about 5% so now I keep both home and mobile statements and claim all of the mobile and nothing of the home phone unless I am on hols and used the mobile in which case I deduct this amount.