Expenses on tax return

[Lucifer Box]

Only £88. But surely that shouldn't make a difference as to where it should go?

I've just never had self employed expenses before and it seems unfair that, because one has been forced into being an employee even though one is really a contractor, that claiming expenses is made more difficult.

Indeed, but whether you wanted to be or not, or whether you agreed with it or not, you were an employee at the time. If you incurred expenses as an employee without the knowledge or consent of your employer, you haven't really got a leg to stand on if they object (which presumably they will).

As it is a relatively small amount of money, chalk this one up to experience, move on, and the next time this sort of situation pops up be prepared to deal with it by either having your own Ltd to operate through or by using the services of an umbrella. As you have found out, the half way approach just leaves you stranded in no man's land.

[xoggoth]

It isn't really about "getting away with it", you are entitled to claim, the only issue is how. Size does matter and £88 is small. It is commonplace, even for professional accountants, to lump small capital amounts in with general expenses and this is generally accepted by the revenue. They are not generally too anal about how things are done provided about the right tax is paid.