Help when you are starting out.
Longbenton is a large residential area on the western side of North Tyneside, close to the Newcastle boundary and served by Longbenton and Four Lane Ends Metro stations. Bus routes also run along its main roads. It is also home to the large public sector office site at Benton Park View. Most of the area is residential, with local shops and services close to home.
Plenty of people here work for an employer by day and are starting something of their own on the side, or have recently become self-employed. Our office is at Team Valley in Gateshead. We support clients here by phone and email, and you are welcome to meet us at Team Valley. If you are not sure where to begin, that is fine. We can start with the basics.
Employees, side businesses and first-time traders.
Working life in the area is mixed. Many residents are employed, while others drive taxis, run cleaning or gardening rounds, work as hairdressers from home or offer trade skills locally. Some are just beginning, and their first questions are simple ones: do I need to register, what records should I keep and how much should I put aside? Those are sensible questions to ask early.
Getting these basics right early avoids problems later. Missed registrations and late returns can lead to penalties, and incomplete records make it hard to claim legitimate expenses. A little guidance at the start often makes the difference between a stressful January and a calm one. We would rather help you set things up properly at the beginning than sort out a muddle later on.
Who we work with in Longbenton
- 01
Taxi and private hire drivers
- 02
Cleaning and gardening services
- 03
Home-based hair and beauty
- 04
Local trades and handypersons
- 05
Employees with a side business
Services Longbenton clients ask about
A first year of self-employment, for example.
Suppose a Longbenton resident has left a warehouse job to start a mobile car valeting business with a second-hand van. He is unsure whether he has registered correctly, and he has a carrier bag of fuel and equipment receipts. Priestman & Co. could check his registration with HMRC, explain which costs may be allowable, set up a simple way to record income and expenses, and prepare his first self assessment return well before the deadline.
Getting to our Team Valley office
From Longbenton, it is often simplest to travel through Newcastle and cross the river to Gateshead, then on to the A1 for Team Valley. The A19 and Tyne Tunnel, where a toll applies, is the alternative. Longbenton and Four Lane Ends Metro stations both connect with Gateshead, where buses continue to the trading estate. Phone and email work well too.
Tax and reporting rules can change. This page offers general information, not advice specific to your circumstances. The example above is illustrative only.
Longbenton: common questions
You generally need to register for self assessment by 5 October following the end of the tax year in which you started trading. Registering earlier is often sensible, as it gives you time to get organised. We can check what applies to you and help with the registration.
No. Your employment income is taxed through PAYE, and your business profit is added on your self assessment return. The tax already paid through your job is taken into account. Depending on your figures, you may owe some extra tax or National Insurance. We can work through it and explain the result clearly.
Sometimes. If there was a reasonable excuse for the delay, it may be possible to appeal. Whether an appeal is likely to succeed depends on the circumstances. The first step is usually to get the outstanding return filed. We can help with both and explain your options honestly.