Start up costs what do I put where and is this right?

[mathremuk]

Hiya everyone!

Unfortunately my journey to become a childminder was a blooming nightmare. I started the course back in May 2015 and thanks to my hubby being American I didnt get certified until June 2016 as we had to await an FBI check

So I rang HMRC up the other day and said I had started my training and had started purchasing items for my business in the 2015/2016 tax year but it is likely that I wont actually start trading until 2016/2017 and asked how do I offset these costs. She told me it would be better to complete a tax return for 2015/2016 for the costs id incurred. Seems odd since they say its from when you start trading but hey ho im sat in front of the SA for last year and its blowing my mind.

These are my cost items:

1 x childminding course £80
1 x first aid course £50
3 x DBS checks £106.30
3 x DBS update service enrollments £39
1 x FBI cert £12
1 x OFSTED REG £35
1 x Docs health booklet £25
Toys & Equipment £210.75 (toys, folders, first aid kit etc)

Then of course theres travel expenses to courses and to pick items up.

Ok im guessing toys & Equip all go in the allowable expenses but what about everything else? Im reading I cant put my course because its a startup course and not an ongoing course. I aslo sense from the internet its the same for the DBS.

Ive also been stung with the fact they close my application for a business grant because my hubbies cert took so long to come so I didnt get the £500 and theres no word of this coming into effect this year now.

Anyway enough of my moan. Can someone just tell me what section i put each of these under? Can I put anything under AIA and other capital expenses. Im just a bit confused.

Thanks in advance

[sarah707]

you can include training to become a childminder ... it's statutory.

If you put it into a tax return now what income are you going to offset it against? I don't understand hmrc's logic on that one :/

[mathremuk]

Thanks Sarah!!

This is what I thought exactly! I thought Id just do a tax return for 2016/2017 and offset it for that year but the woman on the phone told me I need to do one for 2015/2016 for my losses.

So I guess then I will just do it all as allowable expenses and then submit my return. I might add a note on the return to say I called and HMRC told me to do one for 2015/2016.

As for the training...
http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/fr...rification.pdf

That and other places is where I got that info.

I will just add my training in and hope for the best. I cant imagine them not allowing it as its not training for any other job and It is mandatory.

[sarah707]

You don't put through individual costs - just a total figure for expenses on the tax returns we use - so unless you are inspected by hmrc for some reason it won't be questioned ...

The guidance is a grey area but statutory training is ok - it's other courses that are a bit grey ...