Yes you need a "uniform" for working & tools of your trade. Your accountant can sort this all out for you. I can even put my new washer through because it's used to wash towels, bedding etc.

A percentage of your bills etc can be put through.

xx

Yes it is tax deductable my accountant also allows me to put lipstick receipts as I use YSL red lipstick which is ?25 and really helps.

it'd be £15k

Pretty sure it's not 15k. The tax paid on expenditure (20% of 5k, say) is deducted then you pay tax on the remainder.

Your tax free allowance is 10k (just to keep it simple). Your taxable income after expenditure will be 9k. 20% of 9k will be your tax bill.

Your end of year earnings for mortgage purposes will be 15k: income - expenses.

My accountant explained it all to me as I was quite surprises at my tax bill this tax year, so now I claim for EVERYTHING I can just to try lower it. I may be wrong but it definitely wasnt as straight forward as deducting the expenditure and paying tax on the remainder.

Pretty sure it's not 15k. The tax paid on expenditure (20% of 5k, say) is deducted then you pay tax on the remainder.

Your tax free allowance is 10k (just to keep it simple). Your taxable income after expenditure will be 9k. 20% of 9k will be your tax bill.

Your end of year earnings for mortgage purposes will be 15k: income - expenses.

My accountant explained it all to me as I was quite surprises at my tax bill this tax year, so now I claim for EVERYTHING I can just to try lower it. I may be wrong but it definitely wasnt as straight forward as deducting the expenditure and paying tax on the remainder.

I don't follow, what isn't £15k? Your taxable income  is simply your gross income minus expenses. Of course you get the same tax free allowances as all other workers.

I don't follow, what isn't £15k? Your taxable income  is simply your gross income minus expenses. Of course you get the same tax free allowances as all other workers.

Your taxable earnings are not 15k.

Your taxable earnings are not 15k.

They are. Taxable earnings is a phrase that doesn't exclude your personal allowance etc (as people's personal allowances differ!)

Right, but that wasnt even the point I was making. It was in relation to expenses, how they are deducted and what portion of tax is left to pay on expenses of £5,000.

Maybe I shouldn't quit my day job and become an accountant 

You don't pay tax on expenses.  Your taxable income is the £15k without a doubt.  Taxable income is income - expenses.  If they ask for turnover that is a different story.