Can I claim it? Just ask.
Half of paying less tax is just knowing what you are allowed to claim. Text Lekhio the thing, and get a straight answer in seconds. The real rules, the grey areas included, all fully within the law.
One simple test runs the lot.
HMRC allows a cost if it was spent wholly and exclusively for the business. If something is part business and part personal, like your phone or your car, you claim the business share, not all of it.
That is it. No tricks, no dodgy loopholes. Just claiming everything you are legally owed, and not a penny you are not. Most people leave money on the table simply because they never asked.
What you can and cannot claim.
The common ones for UK sole traders. Ask Lekhio about anything not here and it will tell you straight.
Yes, claim these in full
Straightforward business costs. Log them all, even the small ones, because every pound you miss is tax you did not need to pay.
Boots, hi vis and protective gear
Yes, claim itYes, fully. Protective clothing and safety kit you need for the job are allowable in full.
A branded uniform
Yes, claim itYes, if it is a real uniform. A top with your business name or logo permanently on it is allowable. A plain top is not.
Tools and equipment
Yes, claim itYes, fully. Tools and equipment for the work are allowable. Big items can be claimed in full the year you buy them through the Annual Investment Allowance.
A van
Yes, claim itYes. A van used for the business is allowable. You can claim the full cost the year you buy it, or run it on simplified mileage instead.
Mileage
Yes, claim itYes. Business miles are 55p a mile for the first 10,000, then 25p. Just text me the miles and I log the claim.
Working from home
Yes, claim itYes. Claim a flat rate by hours, £10, £18 or £26 a month, or a fair share of your actual home bills.
Rent on business premises
Yes, claim itYes. Rent, rates, power and insurance on premises you use for the business are allowable.
Materials and stock
Yes, claim itYes, fully. Materials and stock you buy for jobs are allowable in full.
Insurance
Yes, claim itYes. Business insurance like public liability, tools and professional indemnity is allowable.
Accountant and professional fees
Yes, claim itYes. Accountant and bookkeeping fees, and software you use for the business, are allowable.
Bank charges and interest
Yes, claim itYes, within limits. Business bank charges and interest on business borrowing are allowable.
Advertising and website
Yes, claim itYes. Advertising, your website, business cards, signage and ads are allowable.
Trade body and subscriptions
Yes, claim itYes, the relevant ones. Membership of a trade or professional body for your work is allowable.
Part of it, or it depends
Mixed use or grey area items. You can claim, but only the business share or only in the right circumstances. Lekhio works out the right slice.
A car
It dependsPart of it. Only the business share of a car counts. Simplest is 55p a mile for the first 10,000 business miles, then 25p.
Fuel
Part of itThe business share. Either claim fuel as part of your actual vehicle costs, or use simplified mileage instead, not both.
Phone and broadband
Part of itThe business share. Work out the business percentage of your bill and claim that. Text me, like "phone bill £45, 80% business".
Training and courses
It dependsDepends. Updating or keeping up the skills you already use is allowable. Training for a brand new trade or skill is not.
Food and meals
It dependsDepends. A meal on a genuine business trip or an overnight stay can be claimed. Your everyday lunch cannot.
Travel
It dependsDepends. Travel to a job, a supplier or a client is allowable. Your normal commute to a regular place of work is not.
Parking and fines
It dependsParking on a business trip, yes. Parking and speeding fines, no, HMRC never allows penalties.
Pension contributions
It dependsNot an expense, but a tax saver. A personal pension is not a business cost, but it gets you tax relief and cuts your bill. Well worth it.
Usually not, so do not risk it
The ones people wrongly try to claim. Getting these wrong invites trouble, so we keep you on the right side of the line.
Everyday clothes
Usually notNo, sorry. Everyday clothing is not allowable, even if you only ever wear it for work. HMRC is strict on this one.
Entertaining clients
Usually notNo. Entertaining clients or customers is specifically not allowable, however good for business it feels.
Haircuts and grooming
Usually notNo. Personal grooming, haircuts and gym are personal, not business, so they are not allowable.
The ones everyone gets wrong.
Clothes, the car, training, meals. Here is the honest rule on each, so you claim what you can and steer clear of what you cannot.
Everyday clothes
Usually notThis is the classic myth. Normal clothes are not claimable even if you bought them only for work and never wear them otherwise. Only a branded uniform or genuine protective clothing gets through.
A car
It dependsA car nearly always has private use, so you cannot claim all of it. The easy route is mileage, 55p a mile to 10,000 then 25p, which covers fuel and wear. The other route is actual running costs and capital allowances, but only the business portion, with records to back it.
Training and courses
It dependsA refresher or an update to the skills your business already uses is fine. A course to start a completely new trade, or to get a qualification you did not have, is treated as setting up something new and is not allowable.
Food and meals
It dependsSubsistence on a real business journey away from your normal pattern, or while staying away overnight, is allowable. The ordinary lunch you would buy anyway is not, even on site.
The legal ways to pay less tax.
Nothing dodgy, nothing risky. Just the reliefs and allowances people miss. Lekhio tracks most of these for you as you work.
Claim every allowable expense
The biggest one. Money you spend on the business that you forget to claim is tax you did not need to pay. Log it all, even the small stuff.
Working from home
Do your quotes and admin at home? Claim the flat rate, up to £26 a month, or a fair share of your actual bills.
Mileage
Every business mile is 55p for the first 10,000, then 25p. It adds up fast over a year of driving to jobs.
Tools in full, the year you buy them
The Annual Investment Allowance lets you deduct the whole cost of tools, equipment and a van in the year you buy, not spread over years.
Phone and broadband
Claim the business share of your phone and internet. For most trades that is most of the bill.
A pension
Paying into a pension gets you tax relief and cuts your bill. One of the most tax efficient moves there is for the self employed.
Claim your CIS back
If contractors deduct CIS from your pay, that is tax already handed over. It comes off your bill at tax time, and is often a refund.
The £1,000 trading allowance
If your costs are tiny, you can claim a flat £1,000 instead of your actual expenses. Lekhio uses whichever leaves you better off.
Marriage allowance
If your husband or wife earns little or nothing, they can pass you part of their tax free allowance. Free money many people miss.
Time big buys before 5 April
A large tool or van bought just before the tax year ends brings the relief forward a whole year. Timing matters.
Stop overpaying. Just ask.
Lekhio answers your claim questions on WhatsApp, logs every cost as you go, and keeps you ready for tax. You always approve before anything is sent to HMRC.
Start free trialGeneral information, not tax advice for your exact situation. Lekhio is an independent UK company, not HMRC, and not endorsed by HMRC. Always check your own position with HMRC or an accountant if you are unsure.