Allowable expenses sole traders often miss

Every allowable expense you don't claim is tax you're paying unnecessarily. A few categories come up repeatedly as ones sole traders forget or under-claim.

Working from home

If you work from home even partially, a proportion of household costs — heating, internet, a portion of rent or mortgage interest — can often be claimed using simplified or actual cost methods.

Use of your own vehicle

Business mileage in your own car can be claimed using HMRC's simplified mileage rates, which is often simpler and sometimes more generous than tracking actual running costs.

Professional subscriptions and training

Membership fees for relevant professional bodies, and training directly related to your trade, are often allowable but frequently forgotten.

Our advice

A quick annual review of your expense categories against what you're actually claiming often turns up money left on the table. We do this as part of preparing every self-assessment return.