Keeping your skills and knowledge up to date is important but the cost of professional training can add up. If you are self-employed some training costs may be claimed as allowable business expenses.

Training costs can usually be claimed where the course helps you improve skills or knowledge that you already use in your business. This includes keeping up to date with changes in your industry, learning about new technology used in your work, or developing new skills that support your business operations, such as administration or management skills.

For example, a graphic designer taking a course on updated design software, or a tradesperson learning about new industry standards, may be able to claim the cost as a business expense.

However, tax relief is not available for every type of training. You cannot claim the cost of courses that help you start a new business or expand into a completely new area of business activity that is not directly related to your industry.

To support a claim, you should keep records of the training course, including invoices and details of how it relates to your business activities. If you are unsure whether a particular course qualifies, HMRC’s guidance at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-the-cost-of-training-could-be-an-allowable-business-expense includes some useful examples or we would of course be happy to help.