Bookkeeping and Records Hub
How to keep proper records for tax. What HMRC expects, how long to keep documents, and systems that make it easier.
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What to keep
The documents HMRC expects every business and landlord to keep.
1 articles
Retention
How long to keep different types of records before you can dispose of them.
1 articles
Digital records
Making Tax Digital, software choices, and what 'digital records' actually means.
3 articles
Bank reconciliation
Why reconciliation matters and how to do it properly.
1 articles
Records: the foundation everything else stands on
Every return you file is an assertion; records are what make it a fact. The guides in this hub cover the four questions that matter: what to keep, how long to keep it, what 'digital records' now means under Making Tax Digital, and the monthly bank reconciliation that keeps books honest.
The test running through all of them is the same: could you support every figure on every return if HMRC asked? Organised as you go, the answer costs minutes a week. Reconstructed later, it costs January.
Digital by default
HMRC accepts digital copies for almost everything, VAT already requires digital records and filing, and MTD for Income Tax extends the requirement to self-employed people and landlords above the income thresholds. Paper systems are not just slower — they are progressively less compliant.
This layer is the Evidence Pack's whole job inside Compliance Vault™: records captured digitally as they happen, categorised, reconciled monthly, audit-ready year-round. Not assembled in January.
Frequently asked questions
What records does HMRC require me to keep?
Records of all income and expenses with the documents behind them — invoices, receipts, bank statements — plus VAT and payroll records where registered. The what-to-keep guide breaks it down by business type, including the landlord specifics.
How long must records be kept?
At least five years after the 31 January deadline for self-employed and landlords; six years for companies; 22 months for simple personal returns — with longer periods when filings are late or assets span years. The retention guide covers every case.
Do spreadsheets count as digital records?
For MTD purposes, structured spreadsheets can qualify — but the figures must reach HMRC through digital links and bridging software, never retyping. The digital records guide explains what compliant looks like and when proper software is the easier answer.
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