People can add foreign income to online tax returns

The foreign income pages of the self assessment tax return can now be filed online, it has been revealed.

According to the Chartered Institute of Taxation (Ciot), HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) sent a statement informing the organisation that small business accountants and sole traders can "now file the foreign income supplementary page online using HMRC self assessment online service".

The statement explained that the form could be used to record relevant foreign income amassed in the 2007/2008 tax year.

It added that the pages were accessible via "tailoring section of the return". People who have already started completing their tax return were told they can still "add the supplementary page through the tailoring section of the return".

"The maximum number of items of foreign income you can file, in any one category, is 20 for the more common types of foreign income - e.g. savings/dividends - and ten for the less common - e.g. income/dividends from an overseas trust, company, or other entity.

"However there are no restrictions on the types of foreign income that can be filed using HMRC self assessment online."