UK Filing as self employed/trader

I'm really confused about filing as self employed... this is a bit lengthy.


I did a leaflet route this year from around November 2014 till the begining of January 2015.  I made about 150 pounds. I was told I needed to file a self assessment thingee online so I filed as trader status. 

I assumed I would be getting something in the mail from HMRC about the assessment so I could mail my pay slips in to submit my tax info but I have not.  (All I have gotten is a tax return from my other jobs for the year previous) I looked again on HMRC website and saw a spot for filing self assessment taxes online.  So I thought I would do that except my username/password I have lost for the website.  I can request new ones by mail but it requires a unique taxpaper code which apparently would be located on something HMRC would have sent me by mail about my self assessment which I do not have.

I also read that I should have filed this electronically by Jan 31st.  But this is confusing to me as when I look on their website it says if you file late you are fined.  But under the fine dates it says for tax year April 2013 - April 2014.  So that makes no sense to me as I didn't start the job until November 2014.

So I'm totally lost. Am I suppose to be getting something in the mail?  When am I suppose to be claiming or submitting information for Nov 2014 wages?

The work you did was in the 2014/15 tax year so you have until January 31st 2016 to file a self assessment, so plenty of time still.  (I've not yet had to file a self assessment so I can't help with your main question).

Durhamlad is correct. For any wages after April 6th 2014, the self assessment filing should be done before the end of January 2016. They give you quite a long time.
Your November earnings fall between the tax year of April 2014 and April 2015. 

Hopefully you have applied for a small earnings exception from Class 2 NIC. If you are a US person you may also want a certificate of coverage for your files.

Thank you for the info! I'm glad to hear that I have awhile to get it submitted.  Does anyone know how long it generally takes to get a letter from HMRC confirming that you are signed up as a trader?  (The paper that would have my unique taxpayer code on it)


guya - I *think* (Not 100% sure at this moment until I can reaccess my online account) that I opted for both of those. 

I received my letter from them within a few weeks. I also have a Small Earnings Exemption Certificate, but don't bother applying for one. I just received a letter from HMRC yesterday, stating SECs will NO LONGER BE VALID after April of this year!  They are doing away with the certificate, and bringing in a new system. Apparently, when you do your self assessment for this tax year, they will then decide if you must pay Class 2 taxes, based on your profit. There wasn't much info in the letter they sent me, as it kept repeating the phrase that they would "send me further information as it becomes available".   My certificate was supposed to be good up until April 2016, so I'm a bit ticked. Just when I begin to understand the system, they go and change it. lol 

Thanks for the additional info, good to know about the certificate!  Well, I applied around the first of the year.  I guess if I don't get anything in the mail by mid April I will give them a call and see what's up.