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Where Taxpayers and Advisers Meet

Closing self-employment after leaving UK

Trexl33
Posts:3
Joined:Fri Dec 17, 2021 7:16 pm
Closing self-employment after leaving UK

Postby Trexl33 » Fri Dec 17, 2021 7:36 pm

Hello everyone,

I was registered as self-employed in the UK to report side freelance income. I left the UK a few years ago but maintained my HMRC account because I thought my absence would be temporary and continued to do some freelance work while abroad (mostly for UK clients, and receiving payments into a UK account, but always well below the tax allowance threshold – around £3000 per year).

I submitted tax returns every year from abroad because I thought it was required, but now that my absence is clearly no longer temporary or short-term, filing these returns no longer makes sense, as I have no residence in the UK and don't know when or if I'll be back.

I updated my HMRC account with my foreign address promptly after leaving, but without form P85, as I thought I would be back soon.

What is the best way to wind this affair down in an orderly fashion? Is the HMRC online chat a good way to close this?

Many thanks!

pawncob
Posts:5090
Joined:Wed Aug 06, 2008 4:06 pm
Location:West Sussex

Re: Closing self-employment after leaving UK

Postby pawncob » Fri Dec 17, 2021 8:19 pm

Submit a P85.
With a pinch of salt take what I say, but don't exceed your RDA

Trexl33
Posts:3
Joined:Fri Dec 17, 2021 7:16 pm

Re: Closing self-employment after leaving UK

Postby Trexl33 » Fri Dec 17, 2021 8:26 pm

Thanks. Two questions:

1. Will submission of the P85 automatically "cancel" the Tax Return they expect by Jan 31?

2. Given that I submitted some annual tax returns after the leaving date entered in the P85 form, will that cause issues?

pawncob
Posts:5090
Joined:Wed Aug 06, 2008 4:06 pm
Location:West Sussex

Re: Closing self-employment after leaving UK

Postby pawncob » Fri Dec 17, 2021 8:30 pm

No. You'll have to explain ti to HMRC.
With a pinch of salt take what I say, but don't exceed your RDA

Trexl33
Posts:3
Joined:Fri Dec 17, 2021 7:16 pm

Re: Closing self-employment after leaving UK

Postby Trexl33 » Fri Dec 17, 2021 9:28 pm

Thanks again. Do you think they are likely to cause difficulties? They really shouldn't, given that I acted from a good-faith desire to do things 100% honestly, but I'm still anxious.

pawncob
Posts:5090
Joined:Wed Aug 06, 2008 4:06 pm
Location:West Sussex

Re: Closing self-employment after leaving UK

Postby pawncob » Sat Dec 18, 2021 10:50 am

You don't owe them anything, so they really couldn't care less!
With a pinch of salt take what I say, but don't exceed your RDA


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