self-employed income for mortgage - expenses question

[Bluebell]

Hi - I am in a bit of a quandry about applying to get my mortgage in my own name (ie my husband and I have split up) Once the court has finalised the agreement I am keen to sort the mortgage side of it. I won't be able to do anything until end of tax year at the very earliest but I feel like its hanging over my head a bit!!

A fellow childminder has advised me that I should NOT claim any expenses - none at all. I am loathe to do this as seems backwards although can see the sense in having as higher income as possible!

My mortgage company say they need to ideally see 3 years self-employed income, as a very minimum 1 year. I am returning to childminding after working elsewhere so my income for childminding last year was only holiday care so about £100. The year before I only worked til September before I started my course and was a full time student so only 5 months of income. I can explain to the underwriters why low income, likewise this year my income will be from sept to April and they will see from my income from being full-time employed why is lower. But I still think I need it to be as high as it possibly can be!!!

So should I put in my income as being really very high with no expenses - is that a good thing or a bad thing - or even a little bit dishonest?

ALSO - how does the rules on claiming expenses work - does it have to be done in the year they are made? So this year returning to childminding I will be buying new car seats and highchairs and pushchairs so expensive equipment - do I have to claim for them this year or could I put them in the following tax years submission? Is there a time limit? If I don't secure the mortgage in my own name this year I will have to try again next year so again would want to keep my expenses quite low! eek - the whole thing makes my head spin!!
Many thanks for any advice - I am sure I should probably check with the tax office or at the very least with a proper accountant but I just wondered if anyone had any experience of anything like this

[loocyloo]

I used a financial advisor who arranged my mortgage. He had a copy of my accounts, so could show gross income and then net income. He could also explain that as a cm we get to automatically take off 10% gross income, and then some of the expenses are also household expenses.
Good luck x