Self employed registration with HMRC is probably the last job on your to-do list, but it is the one thing you need to make a priority as you start your new job as a self employed person.

Dealing with paperwork, finding new clients or managing to stay on top of your bookkeeping tasks is more than enough to be dealing with without the worry of self employed registration with HMRC.

Dont worry, this post will cover everything you need to know about self employed registration. Including how long it takes for your UTR number to arrive, the deadlines for self employment registration with HMRC, and how much you have to earn before you need to complete your self employed registration.

Self Employed Registration with HMRC Guide

Why do I need to complete my self employed registration with HMRC?

You need to complete your self employed registration with HMRC as the pay you receive is not through the normal PAYE payroll, where tax is deducted by the employer.

The reason this step is important is because HMRC needs to know your earning income which isn’t taxed.

What happens next is Ugo Tax can declare your income to HMRC by submitting a tax return and calculating any tax that might be due.

Registering as self employed also ensures you pay National Insurance Contribution, which contribute to your state pension in the future.

What are the benefits of completing your self employment registration?

The most important reason for registering as self employed, is it keeps you compliant with UK tax laws.

Since January 2025 HMRC have started tracking self employed people working for large companies such as Deliveroo, Uber Eats or Amazon Flex, as well as small companies that are not paying tax.

Another reason you need to complete your self employed registration with HMRC is it allows you to claim business expenses.

Self employed business expenses include things such as travel, office costs or tools, and help to reduce the amount of tax you might pay.

Who needs to complete self employed registration?

You must register as self employed if you:

• Are a sole trader or freelancer for example virtual assistant or web developer.
• Run your own business or work for yourself
• Sell goods regularly on EBay or Vinted or services for a profit
• Invoice clients and get paid without tax being deducted

Common Examples:

• Side hustles like Deliveroo or Amazon Flex
• Trades people such as builders, electricians or plumbers.
• Freelancers (designers, writers, consultants)
• Tutors, cleaners or sports coaches

Income Threshold:

You need to do your self employed registration and get a UTR number if:

• Your income from self employment is over £1000 (before expenses) in a tax year (6 April to 5 April the following year).

What is a UTR number?

A UTR number, is short for Unique Taxpayer Reference and is a 10 digit code used by HMRC to identify you as some one that is registered as self employed and needs to submit a self assessment tax return.

How long does it take for my UTR Number to arrive after I register as self employed?

Typically, once you have completed your self employed registration it can take usually 10-15 days for your UTR number to arrive.

However, at Ugo Tax we have registered clients as self employed, and it has taken up to 21 days. This can be for the following reasons:

• Busy periods of the year such as near to the tax deadline in January.
• Errors caused by incorrect or missing information.
• Address verification issue.

How will I receive my UTR number?

HMRC will send you a letter via post, to the address that you registered as self employed with.

Please be alert for scams. HMRC will never send your UTR number via text or email.

How soon after self employment registration do I need to pay tax?

In the UK the tax year runs from the 6 April to the 5 April the following year.

After the 5 April when the tax year ends, you submit a tax return to HMRC to tell them how much income you have made.

If you owe tax on your income you must pay it by the 31 January.

For example:

You start self employment on 25 June 2025. The tax year ends on 5 April 2026.

So you must submit your tax return and pay any tax by Jan 31 2027.

Do I need to complete self employed registration with HMRC if I earn under £1000?

What’s the deadline for self employed registration?

In the UK the deadline for completing your self employed registration with HMRC is the 5 October, after the end of the tax year ends in which you started working as self employed.

Confusing? Don’t worry, here is an example:

You…

• Started self employment on May 20th 2025
• Tax year ends 5th April 2026
• Self employed registration deadline is 5 October 2026

Key Points:

If you are making money, which is over £1000.00 per tax year, and you are not employed you need to register as self employed.

FAQ’s

Will HMRC know if I haven’t completed my self employed registration?

yes, HMRC can get information from a lot of different sources for example:

• Banks and payment platforms (eg: when you receive business type payments.
• Companies which pay you might also report these payments to HMRC.
• Online ,market places such as eBay, Etsy, Amazon and Airbnb

Increasingly HMRC are finding out if your not telling them about your income, through data sharing between platforms and big companies, and even tip offs from people that may know you. If you have a question you can ask it here.

Do accountants charge for self employed registration with HMRC?

Yes, we charge a small fee if you want us to register you as self employed.

Do I need to do my self employed registration if I earn under the £12,570.00 personal allowance?

This is one of the biggest misconceptions people have when it comes to being registered as self employed, and yes you do, even if you earn under the £12,570.00 personal allowance.

The reason it can get confusing is because you start paying tax on any income you earn after £12,570.00.

You need to complete your self employed registration if you earn more than £1000 from self employment, even if your total income is under £12,570.00. If you still have questions get in touch.