Self Assessment - how to input a loss ?

[dld]

Hello all,

Please can anyone help me out before I go mad !

I am currently filling in my SA form (online version)

This is the 1st one I have filled in for my new self employed (sole trader) venture - but have been self employed for over 12 years doing other things.
This year I made a significant loss, as was expected. My returns for prior years have no losses and tax was paid.

I gather I can offset my loss back to previous years, but despite searching online for examples or 'how to's ' I am baffled by how to do it.

I have started my online form and am at the page giving me 4 options

1. Earlier years losses (which can be set against certain other income in 2010-11) and a box for an amount.
2. Unused losses carried forward. and a box for an amount.
3. Relief now for 2011-12 trading or certain capital losses. and a box for an amount.
4. Year for which you are claiming relief above. and a box for a year.
I have no idea what options or figures I should be inputting into these boxes to carry back losses (I think I can go back to 2008-09 and then any balance to 2009-10 but not sure)

I have all of my income and tax paid and figures for these years from my past online returns, and of course have my figures for the return currently being filled in.
The HMRC website gives advice for most things but most of that advice applies to paper forms and not online submission, and is also very confusing to someone like me !

Can anyone give me an example of what I should be doing so I can input my own figures and work it all out - and guide me as to where I should be inputting this online ?

Sorry - this is a bit long winded but I would be really pleased if anyone can help out as 31st is drawing nearer !

Many Thanks

Gerry

[mullet]

A loss to be carried back goes into the appropriate box, and HMRC then work out the tax difference (i.e. what was paid against what would have been paid) and put a credit on your statement. So you only have to declare the loss - you won't see the tax effect in your on-line tax return. This is a non-automated part of the process, requiring clerical intervention by someone at HMRC.

[dld]

Thank you mullet, so nothing for me to work out. Very helpful.

I was wanting to insert my date of 08/09 as being the date I carry back the loss to - a year I paid tax, and presumed that should the loss swallow up any taxable income from that year that

a/ The tax paid for that year would be credited - and rolled over onto the following 09/10 return.
b/ That any balance of the loss would be applied then to the 09/10 return - and so on.

I may be wrong assuming this though. But if this is ultimately worked out by HMRC then I dont really have to figure it out too much.
However -
I have tried putting my date I want to carry the loss figure back to (08/09) using my assumptions above, into box 4 listed above, and it flags this up -

ERROR: There is 1 error on this page.
If you have entered a year for which you are claiming relief you must also complete 'Relief now for 2011-12 trading, or certain capital losses'. Please amend.

Which is adding to my confused state.

I know my loss figure - I know I want to carry it back and utilise as much loss as I can, but adding in my 08/09 date, it looks like I am supposed to work it all out through the years to end up with a figure to put into box 3.

How to do that is getting to me ! unless I am overly thinking all this.

Many Thanks

Gerry