In this section:
- Tax returns for the self-employed
- Completing your tax return (self-employed)
- Record keeping (self-employed)
- Tax returns for partners and partnerships
- Completing your tax return (partners and partnerships)
- Record keeping (partners and partnerships)
Completing your tax return (partners and partnerships)
If your business is run as a partnership you'll have to file an individual Self Assessment tax return. You'll also have to fill in the partnership supplementary pages - SA104.
The nominated partner must also file a Partnership Return - SA800 - showing each partner's share of the profits or losses. This might include supplementary pages too, depending on what types of income the partnership has.
The nominated partner is responsible for filing the partnership return but you'll be jointly liable with your other partners for any penalties, surcharges and interest if the return is late or inaccurate.
This guide explains the steps you'll need to take to complete and file the individual and partnership tax returns properly. It also explains the advantages of filing returns online.
On this page:
- The benefits of filing online
- Completing the 'core' tax return and supplementary partner pages
- Completing the Partnership Tax Return (SA800)
- What happens if exact figures aren't available?
- Avoiding common mistakes
- Penalties for late partnership returns
- If you have problems completing your tax return
The benefits of filing online
You can fill in and file partnership returns using either paper or online versions. For the tax year 2007-08 and later years you'll have to file paper returns earlier than online returns. The usual filing deadlines are:
- 31 January after the end of the tax year for online filing
- 31 October after the end of the tax year for filing paper returns
As well as a later filing date, if you use online filing your tax will be worked out for you automatically. And you'll get immediate confirmation that we've received your return.
HMRC does not provide a free online product for filing a partnership return. However there are low-cost, commercial products available. Follow the link below for a full list.
See a list of commercial tax return software.
Get information about filing Self Assessment returns online
See a demonstration of Self Assessment Online for partnerships
Completing the 'core' tax return and supplementary partner pages
If you're a partner you'll have to file an individual tax return - the core return forms SA100 and SA101 - and the partnership supplementary pages, form SA104. You'll show your share of the partnership profits or losses on the partnership supplementary pages. You'll find your share on the individual statements in the Partnership Tax Return SA800.
There are two versions of the partnership supplementary pages:
- the 'short' version - SA104 - if the partnership only receives trading income and taxed income, such as interest from banks or building societies
- the 'full' version - SA104F - if the partnership has more complicated types of income
If you've got other income or gains as well as your share of the partnership profits, you may have to fill in other supplementary pages to include with your core individual return. You'd have to do this if you had income from an employment or from property, for example.
There are lots of advantages if you complete and file your returns and any supplementary pages online. If you want to file paper returns you can download the forms and the help sheets that go with them from the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) website.
Apart from completing the partnership supplementary pages, you'll find that the Self Assessment process for individual partners is the same as it is for anyone who's self-employed.
Go to Self Assessment forms, guidance and supplementary pages
Find out about tax returns for the self-employed
Completing the Partnership Tax Return (SA800)
Shortly after the end of a tax year the nominated partner should receive a Partnership Tax Return - SA800. It's easier to fill this in if you take an organised approach.
Step one - making sure you've got the right pages
Check that you've got all the pages you need, including the supplementary pages. Page two of the core return lists the additional pages you might need.
Go to form SA800, guidance and supplementary pages
Step two - collecting the information you'll need
You'll have to get together all the information you'll need to fill in the partnership return. This will include details of:
- the partnership's income and expenses
- any partnership assets acquired or disposed of
Step three - completing the return
Once you've got the pages and the information you need you can fill in the main partnership return and any supplementary pages. There are guidance notes to help you or you can ring the Self Assessment Helpline on Tel 0845 900 0444 (open from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day).
Step four - calculating the tax
The next step is to calculate the tax due on the partnership's profits and any other income. If you file the return online this will be done for you automatically.
Current tax rates and allowances - read the current figures
The benefits of online filing - get more information
Step five - sharing the profits or losses
The partnerships profits or losses must be shared between you and your partners in the way you've all agreed. You should show these shares on the partnership statement - either on the short form in the main return or separately on form SA800PS. You should each know what your share of the profits is so that you can put it on the supplementary partnership pages of your own Tax Return - SA104.
Step six - submitting the return
The nominated partner must sign and date the partnership return and send it to the Tax Office shown on the front of form SA800.
What happens if exact figures aren't available?
If you don't have exact figures to complete the return, you can use:
- an estimate - a figure you want us to accept as your final figure
- a provisional figure - one you want to use until you can confirm the actual amount (you must tell us when actual figures will be available)
You should use the 'Additional Information' section to say how you arrived at these figures and say why you can't use actual figures. If adjustments are made at a later date and you haven't paid enough tax there may be interest and penalties to pay.
Avoiding common mistakes
To help us process your tax return quickly, you should:
- make sure you sign and date the return
- be sure to complete and include any supplementary pages that are needed
- avoid including notes on the return such as 'per accounts' or 'information to follow'
You can avoid many mistakes by filing online. To do this, you'll need to register with us for Online Services.
File your tax return online - read about the benefits
See a demonstration of Self Assessment Online for partnerships
Penalties for late partnership returns
The penalty for partnership returns that are filed late - after 31 October for paper returns or after 31 January for returns filed online - is £100 for each partner.
If you have problems completing your tax return
If you need help with your tax return you can ring the Self Assessment Helpline on Tel 0845 900 0444 (open from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day).
