# Deliveroo - self employment - tax. Getting started



## Muhammed Patel (Oct 25, 2016)

Hi, I'm planning to get into my first job as a deliveroo cyclist since it's flexible and I'm a student. The aspects of self assessment tax reports etc is a bit confusing. Just wondering if anyone has done this before or can help me get started?
I've been researching but it's complicated. Also end of the year I don't want to be paying extra for an accountant, wouldn't be worth spending so much if I don't earn enough


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## BigTom (Oct 25, 2016)

Muhammed Patel said:


> Hi, I'm planning to get into my first job as a deliveroo cyclist since it's flexible and I'm a student. The aspects of self assessment tax reports etc is a bit confusing. Just wondering if anyone has done this before or can help me get started?
> I've been researching but it's complicated. Also end of the year I don't want to be paying extra for an accountant, wouldn't be worth spending so much if I don't earn enough



You don't need an accountant unless you want to try to claim every penny you can as business expenses and it's probably not worth doing that.
You need to keep all your invoices to deliveroo as this records your earnings. If you are going to earn over the tax threshold make sure you are putting some aside to cover that (although iirc HMRC now ask people to pay "on account" ie: in advance).
You need to keep all receipts that are related to your work (this includes stuff like bike servicing and parts - you should apportion the cost depending on whether you only use the bike for work or also use it for personal stuff. HMRC have guidelines for rent/utilities when you work from home and I imagine also for stuff like this.

On the self-assessment form I think it just asks for your income from self employment. You should deduct your costs from your income and that's what you declare here.
all the other types of income you just say no or put zero. They work out how much tax you owe.
HMRC were very helpful when I needed to ask them stuff, do give them a call and see if they have any workshops running near you.

It's been 3 years since I stopped being self-employed so not done one for a while and things may have changed or my memory is wrong. I don't remember it being too complicated filling in the forms online, as long as you kept the records through the year and were not in a complicated financial position yourself, which it doesn't sound like you are.


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## Muhammed Patel (Oct 25, 2016)

Alright that's OK. But in terms of bank account with some savings or personal use etc, so would it be best to start off with a new account or continue with the same one


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 25, 2016)

I'd stick with what you have. If it's a part time job, unless your doing a lot of hours, I'd be suprised if you end up paying tax. 

I'm waiting for April to come round to go shopping for toys to deduct from my tax bill.


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## Muhammed Patel (Oct 25, 2016)

What about like do I need to tell HMRC myself now or end of the year, or let deloveroo do it?


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## FridgeMagnet (Oct 25, 2016)

If you're self-employed you need to tell HMRC within six months of having started. Unless Deliveroo explicitly say they will do that for you, you'll have to do that yourself. (It's pretty easy; the procedure is on the HMRC site. I'd get it done ASAP.)

I never bothered getting a business account when I was self-employed, as my income and expenses were simple. IMO a second account is only really useful if you have a lot of complex expenses, or you're getting income from multiple sources.


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## Muhammed Patel (Oct 25, 2016)

So I suppose I don't need to declare any savings etc that I've had before starting the job


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## BigTom (Oct 25, 2016)

Muhammed Patel said:


> What about like do I need to tell HMRC myself now or end of the year, or let deloveroo do it?



As FM said, you need to do it.

Also, try not to get too confused by tax years and deadlines and when things are due. If you start now, you'll need to do a self-assessment for the tax year 2016/17 which ends on 4th or 5th April (I can never remember exactly tbh) and that'll need to be submitted by January 2018. Don't panic this January when you see adverts reminding you that your assessment is due, it isn't  However do try to get yours done in good time rather than forgetting until January as the phone lines are rammed at that time but if you manage to get it done in September you can speak to someone fairly quickly.


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## BigTom (Oct 25, 2016)

Muhammed Patel said:


> So I suppose I don't need to declare any savings etc that I've had before starting the job



No, you don't need to declare savings. You might need to declare earnings from savings but *I think* that tax is generally deducted at source (ie: by the banks when they pay the interest so you never see it) but if you have complex savings that might not be true and you should probably check (edit: even if you don't have complicated savings, I never had savings when I was self-employed) - HMRC should be able to answer questions like that.
You need to declare your income. Income = earnings - expenses. You will have expenses for doing the job and you should charge part of the cost of maintaining your bike to it. Any money you already have in savings is not relevant, except for the possibility of earnings from interest.


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## Muhammed Patel (Oct 25, 2016)

Ah I don't take any interest anyway (religiously not allowed) so that's out of question. Usually just have a few hundred pounds that come in and out every few months


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## BigTom (Oct 26, 2016)

Muhammed Patel said:


> Ah I don't take any interest anyway (religiously not allowed) so that's out of question. Usually just have a few hundred pounds that come in and out every few months



You'll need to check if that income is taxable or not, if it's money from your parents I think there's a fixed amount you can get as gifts family members each year that isn't taxable which is many thousands of pounds, if it's from student loans I'm sure that won't be taxable (jimmy carr et al got caught dodging tax by having their earnings go to a ltd company which then paid them in the form of loans which surprisingly they never tried to take repayments for).


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## two sheds (Oct 26, 2016)

Don't know whether anyone has said this but I find easiest to just download my bank statements and copy to a spreadsheet. Go through every month(ish) marking off what's business and copying it to a separate column (different columns for say bike where you'd claim 1/2 if you use 1/2 for business, 1/6 if you can claim that against rent, etc).

End of year just add up your income and expenses and you've got your accounts. HMRC on-line is really easy once you're used to it so take a copy of what you send in first year and that'll remind you how to do it next years.

Good luck


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## spanglechick (Oct 26, 2016)

Self employed national insurance! You have to pay this - I think it's a notional sum like £2 a week and then the rest is added to your tax return.


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## spanglechick (Feb 21, 2017)

Lala15 said:


> Looking for a Job... If you work for Deliveroo you are self-employed and free to work to your own availability. It's really the easiest job I've ever had in my life, no one bossing you around you can come in to work when you feel like it and you can make a lot of money.
> 
> You’ll receive competitive fees of up to £16 per hour, depending on location, you get paid every 2 weeks and all you need is a bicycle or a moped and a phone and they will give you all other equipment. Plus you'll get £50 if you use this code when signing up LA49918


Do you deliver many spam-based recipes?


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