In this section:
Tax returns for partners and partnerships
If your business is run as a partnership you'll have to file an individual Self Assessment tax return. You'll also have to fill in the partnership supplementary pages - SA104.
The nominated partner must also file a Partnership Return - SA800 - showing each partner's share of the profits or losses. This might include supplementary pages too, depending on what types of income the partnership has.
The nominated partner is responsible for filing the partnership return but you'll be jointly liable with your other partners for any penalties, surcharges and interest if the return is late or inaccurate.
Each partner is personally responsible for paying the tax and Class 4
National Insurance contributions due on their share of the partnership
profits
On this page:
- Registering a new partnership
- Partners' individual tax returns
- Partnership Self Assessment tax returns
- Record keeping
- Options for filing partnership returns
- Self Assessment return deadlines
- If you're no longer part of a partnership
Registering a new partnership
You need to tell your HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) Tax Office when the partnership business starts so we can register you. To do this we'll need details of the partners - including their National Insurance numbers - as well as details of the partnership business.
One partner must take responsibility for completing the partnership returns and acting as the main contact for the partnership - the nominated partner. The partners can choose who to nominate or we'll decide for you if no one is put forward.
Read form CWF1 Starting up in Business
Partners' individual tax returns
A partner may be an individual or a company.
If you're a self-employed partner
Individuals who are in a business partnership may be self-employed for tax purposes. Partners have to pay income tax on their share of the partnership profits. Apart from completing the partnership supplementary pages, the Self Assessment process for individual partners is the same as for anyone who's self-employed.
There are two versions of the partnership supplementary pages:
- the 'short' version - SA104S (FC) - if the partnership only receives trading income and taxed income, such as interest from banks or building societies
- the 'full' version - SA104F - if the partnership has more complicated types of income
Self Assessment for the self-employed - learn more
If you're a partner who's a company
A partner can also be a company rather than an individual. Some partnerships are made up entirely of companies, others have a mix of companies and individuals.
Partners who are companies have to pay corporation tax on their partnership profits, which they must include on their Corporation Tax Self Assessment returns.
Corporation Tax Self Assessment - find out more
Partnership Self Assessment tax returns
If you're the nominated partner we'll send you a partnership return shortly after the end of the tax year.
You should include on the 'core' partnership return details of the partnership profit and loss and any interest received after tax has been deducted. You should include other types of income and gains on the partnership supplementary pages.
You must also show each partner's share of the profits and losses on the return's partnership statement. Each partner can then copy this information onto their own tax return. You must let each partner know their share of the profits and losses.
You can fill in and file partnership returns using either paper or online versions. As well as a later filing date, if you use online filing your tax will be worked out for you automatically. And you'll get immediate confirmation that we've received your return.
Completing your partnership tax returns
Self Assessment Online - find out more about the benefits and how to register
See a demonstration of Self Assessment Online for partnerships
Record keeping
You must keep business records for a partnership for at least five years and ten months following the end of the tax year that the records relate to.
The records that you'll need to keep will depend on the types of income and gains that the partnership has. Your accountant - if you have one - will be able to advise you on the records you'll need to keep for tax and accounting purposes.
You may face a penalty if you don't maintain and keep proper records for the required amount of time.
Record keeping for partners and partnerships
Options for filing partnership returns
You can fill in and file partnership returns either on paper or online. The deadlines are:
- 31 January after the end of the tax year for online filing
- 31 October after the end of the tax year for filing paper returns
As well as a later filing date, you'll get immediate confirmation that we've received your return.
HMRC does not provide a free online product for filing a partnership return. However there are low-cost, commercial products available. Follow the link below for a full list.
See a list of commercial tax return software
Get information about filing Self Assessment returns online
See a demonstration of Self Assessment Online for partnerships
Self Assessment return deadlines
The tax year runs from 6 April to the following 5 April. If all the partners are individuals, the nominated partner must submit the completed partnership tax return by the:
- 31 October following the end of the tax year, for paper based returns
- 31 January following the end of the tax year, for online returns
If at least one of the partners is a company the nominated partner must submit the completed partnership tax return by:
- the later of 31 October following the end of the tax year or 9 months from the end of the relevant period, for paper based returns
- the later of 31 January following the end of the tax year or 12 months from the end of the relevant period, for online returns
The relevant period will generally be the period or periods to which the partnership makes up accounts and will end on the accounting date(s) of the partnership ending in the tax year.
If you receive your partnership return late you'll be given at least three months to file the return. But if you were responsible for the delay the normal time limits and penalties will apply.
Read detailed guidance on filing dates for the partnership tax return (PDF 55K)
Tax return deadlines and penalties
If you're no longer part of a partnership
If you leave a partnership during a tax year you'll need to fill in your individual tax return and partnership supplementary pages for the tax year in which you stopped being a partner.
If the partnership itself has been wound up the nominated partner will need to complete the partnership return to cover the period it was trading during the tax year up to the date it ended.
