Do you need to register for the 2024-25 tax year?

Have you started working for yourself or letting property? You may need to register for Self-Assessment

 

If you became self-employed or started letting out a residential property during the 2024–25 tax year, you may need to register for Self-Assessment with HMRC. It is important not to put this off. The registration deadline is 5 October 2025 and missing it could result in financial penalties.

 

Many people assume that because they are paying tax under PAYE for their main job, they do not need to register for anything else. But if you have additional untaxed income, whether from a side business, self-employment, or letting out property, the onus is on you to tell HMRC and file a Self-Assessment return.

 

Why you may need to register for Self-Assessment

You must register for Self-Assessment if any of the following apply to your circumstances during the tax year 6 April 2024 to 5 April 2025:

 

  • You became self-employed as a sole trader or freelance worker
  • You earned more than £1,000 from self-employment (even if it was part time or occasional work)
  • You received rental income from a residential or commercial property
  • You became a partner in a business partnership
  • You received income from abroad, dividends, savings interest, or capital gains that was not taxed at source
  • You want to claim certain income tax reliefs, such as for pension contributions or trading losses

 

In short, if you received untaxed income or made gains not covered by PAYE, you may need to file a Self-Assessment tax return – and to do that, you must first register with HMRC.

 

Key deadline: 5 October 2025

For the 2024–25 tax year, HMRC requires you to register for Self-Assessment by 5 October 2025. It is not enough to simply file the return by the usual 31 January deadline. If you fail to register by October, HMRC may issue penalties for failure to notify, even if the tax is eventually paid on time.

 

Penalties for late registration

If you do not register for Self-Assessment when required to do so, HMRC can charge a failure to notify penalty. This is usually a percentage of the tax unpaid at the due date, and it depends on whether the failure was deliberate or due to carelessness. Interest may also be charged on any late payments. In some cases, penalties can be reduced or suspended, but that depends on the facts and whether you took reasonable care.

 

Where to register

Registration is completed online using HMRC’s Self-Assessment portal at
www.gov.uk/register-for-self-assessment.

If you are registering as self-employed, you will also need to set up a business tax account and obtain a Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR). This UTR will be used to file your tax return.

 

The process can take a few weeks, especially if HMRC needs to send you activation codes or documents by post.

 

How we can help

If you are newly self-employed or have started receiving rental income, we can help you through the Self-Assessment process from start to finish. This includes checking whether registration is required, completing the online forms, and advising on the deadlines for filing and payment.