5 Business Expenses you Can Actually Claim

There are some business expenses that just feel wrong to put through the books.

You know the ones.

You bought it at home.You use it personally too.It doesn't look particularly “business-y”.

So you assume:

“Nah. I definitely can't claim that.”

But sometimes… you can.

Here are 5 expenses that aren't quite as taboo as you might think.

1. Your household bills

Work from home?

You may be able to claim a proportion of certain household costs, including things like heating, electricity, Council Tax, rent or mortgage interest, depending on your circumstances and the method you're using.

You can't just chuck your entire electricity bill into Xero because you answered a few emails at the kitchen table. But there are legitimate ways of working out the business proportion. And if you qualify, simplified expenses can make it even easier.

So yes, your house can have a little bit of a business side hustle too.

(Need help untangling home expenses? Take a look at our Self-Employed Accounting Packages to see how we handle everyday expense categorisation for sole traders.)

2. Your phone

“I use my phone personally, so I can't claim it.”

Not necessarily. If you use your phone for business as well as personal reasons, you can generally claim the business element rather than simply writing off the whole bill. Same goes for internet.

The key is working out what's genuinely business use.

So those three hours of scrolling TikTok at 11pm?

Probably not.

The 20-minute client call you took while hiding in the bathroom? Definitely business.

3. Your car

Your car doesn't have to be a company van with your logo plastered down the side for you to claim business travel.

If you're self-employed and use your own vehicle for business journeys, you may be able to use HMRC's simplified mileage rates rather than working out every individual motoring cost.

But there is an important distinction: Business travel ≠ commuting.

Going from home to your normal place of work isn't magically a business journey because you put the sat-nav on. Keep track of your business miles and make sure you know what counts.

4. Training

This one catches people out, you might think:

“Surely I can't put a course through the business just because I fancy learning something new?”

And you'd be right to question it, but training that helps you maintain or improve the skills and knowledge you use in your existing business can be an allowable expense.

So if you're a photographer doing a photography refresher course? Potentially.

A bookkeeper learning more about bookkeeping? Obviously. 😉

But training that helps you move into a completely new business area can have different tax treatment. So don't assume “course = claimable”. Look at what the training is actually for.

5. Your work clothes

This is one of my favourites because people get this wrong ALL the time.

You cannot generally claim your normal clothes just because you wear them while you're working. Sorry. That lovely blazer you bought specifically for your big client meeting? Still a normal blazer.

But uniforms, protective clothing and certain costumes can qualify.

So if you're a builder buying protective workwear? Different story.

An accountant buying a particularly nice pair of trousers for a meeting? Probably not.

HMRC is not funding your wardrobe. Sadly.

The golden rule

Here's the bit to remember: Just because something is used for your business doesn't automatically make the whole cost allowable.

You need to look at what the expense actually is, how you're using it and the rules that apply to it. And if something is partly personal and partly business, you may only be able to claim the business portion.

So before you automatically decide: “I can't claim that.” It's worth checking. Because sometimes the expense you've been treating as completely personal does have a legitimate business element.

Buzz Tip 🐝

Don't try to become an expert in every HMRC rule. That's what accountants and bookkeepers are for!

If keeping track of receipts and checking tax rules feels like a full-time job on top of running your business, explore our Stress-Free Bookkeeping & Accounting Services. From daily receipt scanning with Apron to full HMRC tax submissions, we take the stress out of your books.

The biggest mistake isn't asking whether something is claimable. It's assuming it isn't… and never asking.

Disclaimer: Tax rules depend on your circumstances, and some expenses have specific conditions or restrictions. Always check the current HMRC guidance or speak to your accountant if you're unsure.

Lauren Flack - Buzz The Books