New starter checklist: A, B or C?

[Hollyhock]

Apologise in advance if this is the wrong forum

Can anyone advise on which box to tick on the New Starter/'P46' form in the following circumstances:

• About to start new contract through umbrella company
• Previously self-employed (sole trader)
• Likely to continue some freelance work alongside new contract
• Not receiving any income as benefits or pensions

The main 'unknown' is exactly what is meant by a 'job'. I tend to see my self-employed activities as a job, but then I'm not HMRC.

Is there an easy answer, or is this another of those mysterious tax grey areas that tend to make the first week in any contract an utter misery?

To refresh your memories, the options are:

Statement A

- Do not choose this statement if you're in receipt of a State, Works or Private Pension.

Choose this statement if the following applies.

This is my first job since 6 April and since the 6 April I've not received payments from any of the following:

•Jobseeker's Allowance
•Employment and Support Allowance
•Incapacity Benefit

Statement B

- Do not choose this statement if you're in receipt of a State, Works or Private Pension.

Choose this statement if the following applies:
Since 6 April I have had another job but I do not have a P45. And/or since the 6 April I have received payments from
any of the following:
• Jobseeker's Allowance
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit

Statement C

- Choose this statement if:

• you have another job and/or
• you're in receipt of a State, Works or Private Pension

HUGE THANKS.

[WTFH]

Are you:
A - about to start a contract through your own Ltd and have your own accountant
B - about to start a contract through an umbrella company
C - about to start a permanent job
D - something else.

[Hollyhock]

Are you:
A - about to start a contract through your own Ltd and have your own accountant
B - about to start a contract through an umbrella company
C - about to start a permanent job
D - something else.

Hiya - so I'm about to start a fixed-term contract through an umbrella company (B). This is likely to be alongside some ongoing freelance which I'll do outside my contracted hours.

I'm a sole trader/freelancer and don't have a Ltd company, but I do have my own accountant.

Hope this helps to clarify

[WTFH]

Hiya - so I'm about to start a fixed-term contract through an umbrella company (B). This is likely to be alongside some ongoing freelance which I'll do outside my contracted hours.

I'm a sole trader/freelancer and don't have a Ltd company, but I do have my own accountant.

Hope this helps to clarify

Is this your first contract?

What have you been doing since April this year?

Do you have a P45 from previous employment?

[eek]

Given that you are self employed the answer will be A...

[Hollyhock]

Is this your first contract?

What have you been doing since April this year?

Do you have a P45 from previous employment?

I have contracted in the past, but not since about 2014.

Since April this year I've been self-employed, working for a couple of freelance clients who I invoice directly. The amount I've earned is below my personal allowance for the tax year.

No P45 because my last employer made me redundant in early 2018. I'm not sure if this would therefore be relevant even if I knew where it was.

[WTFH]

Best fit:

• About to start new contract through umbrella company

[Hollyhock]

Best fit:

• About to start new contract through umbrella company

Thanks - but would this translate to A, B or C in the HMRC list?

[eek]

Thanks - but would this translate to A, B or C in the HMRC list?

Once again it's A

As it's not C - you don't have a pension or a continuing PAYE job

and it's not B - as you haven't been claiming benefits and you are self employed which isn't an issue as that will be sorted out in your tax return next year.

[WTFH]

OK, I think the issue is that the OP hasn't bothered to tell us about the options they are filling in, just some other stuff.
Not very helpful!

If the OP means this section:

Your present circumstances
Read all the following statements carefully and enter 'X' in the one box that applies to you.
A – This is my first job since last 6 April and I have not been receiving taxable Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance or taxable Incapacity Benefit or a state or occupational pension.
OR
B – This is now my only job, but since last 6 April I have had another job, or have received taxable Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance or taxable Incapacity Benefit. I do not receive a state or occupational pension.
OR
C – I have another job or receive a state or occupational pension.

Then the answer is B.

If they are asking about some other part of the form or something else that we have to guess, then only they can know, based on the lack of information given by them.