Loan written off: Are you in HMRC’S crosshairs?

Published: 26th June 2025

The letters are being sent to taxpayers who:

• had a director’s loan that was written off or released between April 2019 and April 2023; and
• did not declare the amount as income on their self-assessment tax return.

The amount released or written off is treated as an income distribution and is taxable at the appropriate dividend rates. If you do need to pay extra tax you can tell HMRC by using the digital disclosure service. This service can be used even if the loan was written off or released before April 2019, but for loans released or written off since 6 April 2023, you can simply amend your tax return to reflect the additional income.