How to choose a payment category

If you can't find an exact match for your payment, pick the closest one available. This helps you keep track of your spending and manage your books. Unfortunately, we can't tell you which category to select.

We want to make our list as helpful as possible. If there is a category you need that we don't have yet, let us know. We will share your feedback with our team for future updates.

Here is a list of some of the categories available and how to use them:

Includes costs for travel to a temporary workplace and meals while you work, like a hotel stay or a mid-morning coffee. Do not include shared meals — these should go under ‘Business entertaining’ or ‘Staff entertaining’.

Includes accountants' fees for work relating to your business, such as:

Includes costs of making people aware of your business, such as:

If your bank account is in your business's name, include charges such as:

Do not include repayments of loans, overdrafts or finance arrangements.

Includes costs for non-cash benefits for your employees, such as:

Do not include employee salaries and bonuses.

Includes costs for books, newspapers or magazines if you or your clients need them for your business.

Includes any costs for entertaining anyone who isn't a current employee, such as:

Do not include entertaining your employees — this goes in ‘Staff entertaining’.

Use this for money your business gives to charity. If you are a limited company, these are usually tax deductible. If you are a sole trader, the charity gets tax relief through Gift Aid, so they are not usually tax deductible.

Includes the cost of childcare vouchers for your employees.

Part of the cost of sales. Includes costs like commission paid to an online sales platform or finders fees.

Includes costs for buying larger items used for more than one year, like a computer or a printer. Do not include smaller hardware like a new mouse — put these in ‘Computer hardware’.

Includes costs for smaller items of computer equipment, such as:

Do not include larger items like a computer or printer.

Includes costs for monthly software subscriptions and one-off software purchases.

Includes costs for hiring consultants and freelancers, like paying a copywriter to write a blog or a developer to build a website.

Use this for Corporation Tax payments to HMRC.

Includes all costs directly relating to a sale, such as:

Includes costs for hiring equipment to make products or provide services.

Includes high-cost items for your office used for more than one year, like office equipment and furniture. Do not include stationery or day-to-day items around the office.

Includes the cost of setting up and registering your limited company with Companies House.

Includes costs for business insurance, like liability, motor, professional indemnity, public liability, and office contents insurance. Do not include contents insurance for your home — put this in ‘Use of home’.

Includes costs for your business connection, such as:

Do not include mobile phone bills — these go under ‘Mobile phone’.

Includes costs of leasing equipment, like a hire car or renting machinery. Do not include hire purchase agreements where you will own the item at the end of your payments.

Includes costs for services like solicitor's fees or hiring surveyors and architects. These are usually tax deductible, but some rules apply to legal fees.

Includes the costs of materials to make products you sell.

Includes running costs like contract fees or pay-as-you-go vouchers. Do not include the cost of buying the phone — this goes in ‘Other capital asset purchase’.

Includes expenses for using a vehicle for your business, such as:

Includes buying vehicles for your business, like a delivery van. Do not include fuel or day-to-day running costs.

Includes day-to-day running costs, such as:

Do not include these if your office is in your home — put them under ‘Use of home’.

Includes costs of small items for your office, such as:

Do not include larger items like a desk or chair — these go in ‘Fixtures and fittings purchase’.

Includes costs for items you buy and use for several years, like a mobile phone or machinery.

Includes any other costs for your business computer, like repairs or website maintenance.

Includes payments of PAYE and NI for employees from your payroll or P11D. Do not include your self-assessment tax and National Insurance if you are a sole trader — put these under ‘Personal’.

Includes costs for postage, like buying stamps or delivering goods.

Includes printing costs for items like business cards or brochures.

Use this for rent payments for your business premises. Do not include a deposit paid to your landlord or rent if your office is in your home.

Includes costs for staff entertaining of up to £150 per employee per year. Do not include costs over £150 per employee, or costs if you are the only member of staff — put these under ‘Business entertainment’ or ‘Accommodation and meals’.

Includes costs for maintaining existing skills relevant to your business, like training courses and conference tickets. Do not include training that isn't related to your business.

Includes costs for office stationery, such as:

Includes costs for hiring subcontractors to work on your products or services, such as:

Includes costs for relevant professional subscriptions, such as:

Do not include professional subscriptions not related to your business.

Use this for business costs that won't easily fit into another category. Use this as a last resort.

Includes costs for business travel other than in a car, such as:

Includes costs you get working at home, such as:

Includes payments made to HMRC for UK VAT.

Includes costs for hosting your website.