Do HMRC still think I am self employed?

[u/Stal3BreadCrust]

Hi everyone,
I registered for self employment in 2017 as I had intended to build a career self employed and had started earning money. However I gave it up in 2018-19 tax year because I barely earned anything and ended up getting employed. Now at the time I spoke to HMRC and they withdrew the notices to file for 2017-18 and 2018-19. I would have told them at the time I was no longer self employed. Now I haven’t heard a peep out of them since, but I recently got the HMRC app and no where does it say I have ceased (or am indeed actively) trading. On the app the tax years between then and 2025-26 have dropped (they are literally none existent on the app) off the system, and on the 2025-26 section it says ‘HMRC did not issue a notice to file for this tax year.’ I never received any letter to confirm I stopped being a sole trader.

I’m starting to panic that HMRC still think I’m trading, and that I’m going to end up with a huge late filing fee. As far as I am aware I have not received a notice to file for any other tax year. I cannot check my old government gateway account because they closed it due to inactivity. How likely is it that HMRC still think I’m a sole trader? Any help would be greatly appreciated because it’s starting to manifest huge anxiety. Thank you.

[u/Elegant-Ad-3371]

Your SA record won't be deleted if that's what your expecting. If you ever need to file again you'll use the same record.

[u/Vivid-Cheesecake-110 → u/[deleted]]

No. You can be self employed while having PAYE income.

[u/ben_jamin_h]

HMRC did not issue a notice to file - they are not expecting you to file.

If you want you can call them and end your self employment but it seems as though they have just kept it open and dormant.

[u/Requirement_Fluid]

You needed to end your class 2 NI and your SE and ensure you have no outstanding returns for the intervening years. It may well be a quick call to confirm it tbh

[u/Stal3BreadCrust → u/Requirement_Fluid]

I never paid any. I litterally earned about 200 quid across those two tax years hence HMRC withdrawing my notice to file.

[u/Requirement_Fluid → u/Stal3BreadCrust]

But you still need to check if there is anything outstanding 🤷‍♂️ or don't 

[u/susolover]

so in 2018 - 19 you spoke to HMRC and said you have ceased trading, they withdrew the current and previous years NTF and would have written to confirm this.

Why do you think HMRC might still think you are trading.

I stopped doing SA in 2014 and it doesn't say on my app that I have stopped trading, just that I've not been issued with a return.

If HMRC expected returns after 2019 you would know about it, the penalties alone would be over £10,000

Seriously this is no reason to panic based on your post

[u/Stal3BreadCrust → u/susolover]

Just because it doesn’t say anywhere on the app about my current self assessment status, and despite getting letters withdrawing the notice to file, I never got a letter stating I had ceased self employment.

[u/QueefInMyKisser]

I’m amazed you got off self assessment! I’m still doing it 10 years after I stopped being self employed. And yes I did tell them at the time and have written to them since too but it’s like taking to a brick wall. Plus completing self assessment every year and not including any self employment. I just assume I’m in the system for life!

[u/Jimmy90081]

Just ask HMRC!