reducing your tax bill

Expenses & Deductions

How to record your expenses, what to claim, and what to keep hold of — the bit that saves you money.

why are they so important?

You're Taxed on Profit, Not Income

Profit=Income−Allowable expenses

Being self-employed, we're a 'business' — and businesses don't get taxed on their income, they get taxed on their profit. Say you have £10,000 of total income and £4,000 of expenses: instead of paying tax on £10,000, you only pay tax on £6,000!

the basics

What Is an Expense?

Essentially, it's anything you spend money on throughout the tax year that directly relates to the running of your 'business' — i.e. self-employed performer life. If something has a personal element too (like your phone), you just claim a reasonable percentage.

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a good rule of thumb

If you'd feel comfortable defending the expense claim to HMRC as something you genuinely needed to run your performing career — you're probably good.

keeping track

How Do I Record Them?

Record every expense

Any expense you'd like to deduct from your income needs recording — no getting around it! Note the date, vendor, value and description, plus where you're keeping the evidence (i.e. the receipt). Using the SansDrama App? It's a couple of clicks and you're done

What to keep hold of

You don't submit receipts with your tax return — but HMRC can investigate any return, so keep your expense evidence for at least 5 years after each submission deadline. One of the reasons recording digitally, is favoured.

Cash payments without a receipt? Luckily HMRC don't tend to get too upset over low-value cash payments — the key is being able to demonstrate a good, logical recording system (not a number plucked from thin air). Record it like any other expense, minus the receipt.

watch how easy it is

Recording an Expense in the App

Quick and simple for on-the-go recording. Here's the whole performance, start to finish:

Tap 'Add Expense'

Straight from your dashboard — where your income, expenses and tax to set aside are always in view.

Add your expense

The option to snap/ upload a receipt will appear immediately, then fill in the boxes and press submit.

Done and dusted

Stored safely and offset against your income live, you can see what tax you owe or are due back in a tax rebate (if minus).

the good bit

What Can I Claim?

In a nutshell: whenever you're spending money on something that is genuinely part of running your business, chances are it's deductible. Here are the ones particularly relevant to performers.

Subscriptions

Equity, Spotlight, Casting Call Pro, Star Now — fully deductible. Spotify counts too if it's for class, workouts or show-playlist research.

Computers & laptops

Used for business — finances, audition hunting, show research. Plus software (Like the SansDrama App subscription), backup hardware and printers for that last-minute CV print.

Stationery & postage

Anything relating to the running of your business admin counts. Printing headshots, postage.

Agent commission

Commission plus any VAT your agent takes. Book a £1,000 job, agent takes £125? Record £1,000 as income and £125 as an expense.

Financial & professional

A solicitor for contract advice, an accountant to manage your finances — all deductible.

Bank charges

A loan for that laptop, or a career development loan for training? A percentage of the interest costs is allowable.

Travel

Classes, auditions, networking, seeing shows — Oyster cards, travel cards, taxis, trains, buses, even flights to that audition in Germany.

Hotel stays & meals

On a genuine business trip? Hotel costs and reasonable meals while you're away are deductible.

Clothing

Only things used solely for business: dancewear, character shoes, gymwear for training, that 'go to' audition outfit. Friday-night outfits, sadly not.

Advertising & marketing

Websites and domains, showreels (all the reeeeels!), headshots and prints, stage make-up.

Research

Theatre, ballet, opera and other stage performance tickets — booking fees and the travel to get there included.

Training

Singing lessons, dance classes, acting lessons, casting and audition workshops. Physiotherapy usually isn't (it's seen as personal use too) — ask us if unsure.

part work, part life

Dual-Purpose Expenses

Telephone bills. Calling your agent and booking auditions? Line rental and call costs are absolutely deductible — winner! Personal calls aren't, so think honestly about what percentage of use is business and claim that. A third, perhaps? Then 33% of your bill per month.

Working from home. Show research, audition prep, at-home admin — use HMRC's standard flat rates, no need to itemise the electricity bill:

Hours of business use / month

Flat rate / month

25 to 50

£10

51 to 100

£18

101+

£26

Work from home 101+ hours a month for a year? That's £312 of deductible expenses. Not bad!

Vehicles. You can work out a percentage of actual running costs if you fancy — but the easiest method is HMRC's simplified flat rate for mileage. (Once you use flat rates for a vehicle, stick with them for as long as you use that vehicle for business.)

Vehicle

Rate

Cars / goods vehicles, first 10,000 miles

45p/mile

Cars / goods vehicles, after 10,000 miles

25p/mile

Example: a UK tour with 11,000 business miles = 10,000 × 45p (£4,500) + 1,000 × 25p (£250) = £4,750 to claim.

the golden rule

Only Claim Business Expenses

If you'd buy it anyway (gym membership, general wardrobe), you can't claim it. But if you buy it specifically for work (performance costume, headshots), it counts!

and finally

How Do I Claim Them?

When you complete your Self Assessment tax return each year, you just pop your accumulated expenses total in the box when prompted, one number. HMRC calculates a lower taxable income for you. Simple!

take the drama out of tax

Your tax, sorted.

The tax app built just for performers, creatives and side-hustlers — track your income, expenses and live tax bill in one tidy place, ready for your return.

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