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What is a UTR number?

Unique Taxpayer Reference numbers (or UTRs) are 10-digit codes that uniquely identify you or your business. They're used by HMRC whenever they're dealing with your tax. From claiming a tax refund to filing a Self Assessment tax return, your UTR will make sure the taxman always knows who he's talking to.

If you have a UTR number and work in trades - you need to complete a tax return and may be owed a tax rebate. RIFT can help.
If you have a UTR number and are self-employed - we can help with your tax return.
If you don't already have a UTR number, and want to know how to get a UTR number, keep reading.

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What is a UTR number?

Where can I find my UTR number?

Once you've been issued a UTR, you'll be able to find it in all kinds of official HMRC documents, including:

Your SA250 "Welcome to Self Assessment" letter.
Your Self Assessment tax return paperwork.
Your notice to file a tax return.
Your statement of account.
Any payment reminders you get.

If you've signed up for an account on the HMRC website, you can also check your UTR number by logging in. If you're still not sure, give RIFT Tax Refunds a shout and we'll help you track it down.

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Income Suport

The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme

On the 26^th of March 2020, a new support scheme for self-employed people was announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in response to the Covid-19 crisis. With the 4^th round of SEISS grants now available, the rules on who qualifies were loosened up slightly. You should be okay to claim if:

You filed a Self Assessment tax return for 2019-20 by the 2^nd of March 2021.
Over half of your earnings come from self-employment.
You’ve been making under £50,000 a year on average over the last 3 years.
Your business has suffered significantly as a result of COVID-19.

The 4^th SEISS grant pays out 80% of your average profits over 3 months, capped at £7,500, worked out using your last 3 years of profits. If you became self-employed more recently than that, only your time in self-employment will be used to make the calculations.

A final SEISS grant is coming later in the 2021, to be claimed from around the end of July. Only people who’ve seen a 30% drop in their average turnover will get the full 80% pay-out (capped at £7,500) this time. If your turnover’s dropped by less, you’ll get a 30% grant level instead, capped at £2,850.

If you’re eligible for a SEISS grant, you should be contacted by HMRC with instructions and a personal claim date. See our FAQ here for more about the scheme.

UTR Number

Why do I need a UTR Number?

Some of the most common times you'll be needing your UTR are when you're filing a tax return, signing up for the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) or working with someone who's managing your finances for you (like an accountant).

For tax refund claims, you’ll need to send HMRC a Self Assessment tax return if you’re claiming for expenses of over £2,500. That means signing up for the Self Assessment system, so you’ll need a UTR to get your money.

Even if you're on the books and paid through PAYE, if you've got other money coming in (from rent, for instance), HMRC could be expecting a Self Assessment tax return from you. Again, that means you'll need to register for the system and get a UTR to stay inside the law. Getting caught without one can mean fines and even criminal penalties.

Business partnerships also need UTRs, both for the company itself and for each partner involved.

You can only get a UTR directly from HMRC. If you need one, though, we’ll make sure you’re set up properly and as quickly as possible.

UTR Number

How to apply for a UTR number

Since HMRC uses your UTR to identify you whenever they're dealing with your tax situation, it's important to make sure you've got one if needed. You'll get a UTR automatically when you sign up for the Self Assessment tax return system. Once that's all sorted out, which can take a few weeks, you'll find your UTR cropping up basically whenever you're dealing with HMRC or your taxes.

Because it can be a while before your UTR gets sent out, it's always best not to leave it to the last minute to start the ball rolling. A couple of months before you'll need to file your first tax return should be long enough to stay on the safe side. The deadline for filing is the 31st of January, assuming you do it online.

When you're ready, RIFT will send out an SA-1 form for you to sign. You'll also get a UTR automatically when you set up a Limited Company. Both you and your company will need one, and RIFT can help you get everything set up quickly and easily.

There'll be a few security hoops to jump through to get your UTR. The taxman's a real stickler for confirming who he's talking to (thankfully). When you're all set, HMRC will send you a letter called “Welcome to Self Assessment”, which will show your UTR on it. You'll only get your UTR by post, and that part of the process can take up to 7 days. Again, it's best to get yourself sorted at least several weeks before your first filing date.

After signing up for HMRC's online services, you'll get an email with your login details in it. Logging in will give you a chance to check your UTR. If you're teaming up with RIFT for your Self Assessment returns or tax refunds, let us know your UTR as soon as possible so we can get to work for you.

UTR Number

Information needed to get a UTR number

Since your UTR is just used to identify you, most of the information needed to get one is pretty basic and obvious. When you register for Self Assessment, you'll need to tell HMRC:

Your name, date of birth and address.
Your National Insurance number.
Your email address and telephone number
The name, address and nature of your business.
Your business telephone number.
The date your self-employment started.

UTR Number

Why you need a UTR number?

Some of the most common times you'll be needing your UTR are when you're filing a Self Assessment tax return, signing up for the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) or working with someone who's managing your finances for you (like an accountant).

Remember, it's not just the self-employed who need to use Self Assessment to tell HMRC about their income. Even if you're paid PAYE, if you've got other money coming in (from rent, for instance), HMRC could be expecting a Self Assessment tax return from you. That means you'll need to register for the system and get a UTR to stay inside the law. Getting caught without one can mean fines and even criminal penalties.

Business partnerships also need a UTRs, both for the company itself and for each partner involved.

Working in construction

I'm in construction and my employer wants to know my UTR number. Help!

Without a UTR, you aren't properly signed up as self-employed. In construction, this can be a serious problem. Without a UTR, you can't use Self Assessment or sign up for the CIS. The Construction Industry Scheme takes 20% out of self-employed construction workers' pay as an advance payment against the tax they'll owe. It's supposed to crack down on dodgy “cash in hand” deals, but it can lead to people paying way too much tax and being owed a refund. Your UTR is the key to getting signed up properly to pay your tax – and to claim back what you're owed.

By the way, don't be fooled: it's not a smart move to ignore the CIS and fail to sign up when you're supposed to. Not registering will cost you a much larger chunk of your pay than doing it right. Talk to RIFT if you're being asked for a UTR and don't have one, or don't understand why you need it.

Working in construction

Why would my construction employer ask for my UTR number?

In construction, whoever is paying you needs to send a chunk of your pay to HMRC because of the Construction Industry Scheme. CIS tax if a flat 20% of everything you earn. Depending on how much you earn, this means your tax bill could be very different from a PAYE employee. Check the table below to see how to the systems compare.

Salary	CIS Tax Bill	PAYE Tax Bill
£10,000	£2,000	£0
£20,000	£4,000	£1,698 (135% increase on PAYE)
£30,000	£6,000	£3,698 (62% increase on PAYE)
£40,000	£8,000	£5,698 (40% increase on PAYE)
£50,000	£10,000	£8,698 (15% increase on PAYE)

UTR Number

Does being asked for a UTR Number mean that I'm owed a tax rebate?

It's pretty likely you should be claiming a yearly tax rebate from HMRC. In construction, those CIS deductions your contractor takes out of your pay can leave you forking over too much tax. This can happen because they don't take your tax-free Personal Allowance into account. If you don't have a UTR, you won't be able to claim it back.

UTR Number

I've been asked for my UTR number but I'm not self-employed!

It's possible to need a UTR even when you're not self-employed. People claiming PAYE tax refunds, for instance, often need to file a Self Assessment tax return to get their money.

If your employer's asking for your UTR and you don't have one to show them, things ca get dicey. HMRC's cracking down hard on “false self-employment”, where people are classed as self-employed when they're actually supposed to be working PAYE. If there's any confusion about your employment status, you need to get it sorted immediately, before things get nasty. Get in touch with RIFT to find out exactly where you stand. If you need to register for Self Assessment, we'll get it done with no stress or hassle.

UTR Number

What's a company UTR number?

Businesses have UTRs, just like people. A company UTR gets sent out when you first set you company up. Like a personal UTR, it's just a 10-digit code used to identify your firm for tax purposes. You'll find it on some of your HMRC documents, like your CT603 form, “Notice to deliver a company tax return".

A company UTR is different from a company registration number (CRN), so don't get them confused. A CRN is sent out when your company is “incorporated” (becomes its own legal entity). You'll need it whenever you're dealing with Companies House.

UTR Number

Do I have to pay for a UTR number?

No, getting your UTR number sent out is free.

UTR Number

Lost your UTR number?

UTR numbers are unique to you or your business, so it's wise to keep track of them. If you can't find any of the documents that show yours, get in touch with HMRC. Keep in mind that UTRs can be used for identify theft and fraud, so expect HMRC to make you prove who you are before they'll talk to you.

RIFT Tax Return Service

Your local tax return accountants

The RIFT tax return service goes a lot further than other less specialized accountants. As the UK's leading Tax experts and the only tax company ever to earn the ServiceMark award from the institute of customer service, we stand behind our work and our customers. We don't believe in a 'one size fits all' approach service of traditional accountants. Everything we do is built around your specific situation. We also go beyond filing your self assessment tax return, if it looks like you're due a tax rebate we'll claim that for your too.

Tax Return Service

Need more help?

Wondering if you can claim a tax refund or need to submit a tax return? Use our online tools to find out if you're owed money by HMRC.

Speak to us 6 days a week.
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RIFT Refunds, The Cobalt Building, 1600 Eureka Park, Lower Pemberton, Ashford, Kent, TN25 4BF

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