UK Tax Return?

Hey Everyone,


me and my canadian flatmate want to get a tax return. we have been here since sept 2006. does anyone know how we go about doing this or recommend any services for us?

thanks!
V

Hey are you talking about filing in canada or the UK?

I wouldn't be much help with the UK one as I was paying taxes through work with the PAYE system.

As for filing my canadian taxes I simply used my P60 end of the year form and added it onto my canadian income and filed for the year it's rather straightforward depending on which tax program you use.

Hey Everyone,


me and my canadian flatmate want to get a tax return. we have been here since sept 2006. does anyone know how we go about doing this or recommend any services for us?

thanks!
V

The 2006 tax year ended on April 5th 2007, which means you should have filed a tax return already for 2006. The UK tax year runs from April 6th - April 5th. If you're resident for 90 days or more in a tax year you are resident for tax purposes.

If you are on PAYE, then you may not have to file a return although I'd be surprised if in the first year they didn't want something back from you.

If you're on PAYE and nothing else, HMRC generally only sends you a simple form for you to declare simple interest on your bank account every three years or so, so they can double-check the figures the bank are giving them, and so they are aware of any overseas bank accounts you may have. (Tax is automatically withheld on interest by the bank).

The last thing the Govt. in the UK wants is for you to fill in a tax form yourself and so you can discover how much you are getting ripped off. Because the NHS is more comprehensive than the Canadian system, most of the personal exemptions in the Canadian system aren't necessary in the UK, so you only need to declare things like being medically unfit for work to get benefits, etc.

This means a tax return in the Canadian sense of the term is not strictly necessary, the employer simply files the P60 (equivalent of a T4) with the HMRC under the PAYE system. You will receive a P60 from your employer, same as with a T4.

You only have to file a tax return generally if HMRC decide you are subject to self-assessment, e.g. if you are self-employed, are a director of a corporation, receive complicated benefits like a company car, etc.

Find out where the local tax office is from the HMRC website, give them your NI number, and they will tell you what your status is in their system.

But like I said, generally for people with only one employer and nothing complex about their tax situation who are in the PAYE system (which you probably will be, as it is mandatory in most situations), you usually only need to respond to forms HMRC sends you.

Remember you're in the UK now - they don't trust you to tell you this stuff yourself, they do it automatically as much as possible so (a) they get their tax revenue and (b) so you don't know just how much tax you are paying. haven't you noticed that VAT is added on BEFORE you buy something rather than after, like in Canada?

It is not such a bad idea to submit a self assessment, it is similar to the Tax Return you would complete in Canada. I have done one each year I have been in the UK, and I usually get a small refund (something you would likely not get if you rely on PAYE alone). In my experiance it's also a good idea to check on your PAYE code to make sure it is correct. If you have tax deducted through employment then you should have a PAYE form with a contact number for the local tax office. There are good contact numbers and lots of information on the goverment HMRC website, and they can be very helpful. They will send you the SE forms.

However,as mentioned in earlier replies most people in the UK do not submit an annual Self Assessment.

here's all the information you need regarding self assessed tax returns:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/sa/

I offer UK, Canadian & US tax return service at reasonable rates. visit website lynch.pro

There's a really good book published recently by Network Canada that explains the tax process fairly simply. You can buy it at the Canada Shop in Covent Garden, or from amazon. Just google Network Canada, it's called Canadian Guide to Living in London. My teachers have found it very useful when sorting out their taxes in the UK and upon return to Canada.
You certainly shouldn't need to pay anyone to do it for you, it is all quite simple (even if you went with a Limited Company).

Good luck!
Victoria, Classroom Canada

I've been living in the UK for 2 years and have been doing a degree online from a Canadian university. If I was still in Canada and filing a tax return then I would claim my tuition fees, is this still possible from the UK?

There no UK tax relief for tuition fees unless you can claim them as a business expense which appears unlikely in your circumstances.

lynch.pro

Is it possible to still file in Canada from the UK for the tuition?