Your mortgage broker has asked for “your last two SA302s”, and you’re not sure what you’re meant to be looking for. Is it a form? A letter from HMRC? Something your accountant sends? It’s a common moment of confusion for self-employed people, landlords and company directors.
This guide answers the question “what does an SA302 look like?” section by section. It walks through each part of the document, shows a clearly labelled 2026/27 example with the sums worked out, and explains what lenders check when they read it.
- An SA302 is a calculation HMRC produces from your tax return; you don’t fill it in.
- It reads top to bottom: your details, income, allowances, tax and NI, then the total for the year.
- If you or your accountant file through software, the equivalent is usually called a tax computation.
- Lenders normally want it alongside the tax year overview for the same years.
- If a figure is wrong, amend the tax return itself, never the PDF.
What Does an SA302 Look Like?
What does an SA302 look like in practice? It’s usually a few printed pages of figures, laid out as a running calculation from your income down to the tax you owe for one tax year. There are no boxes to complete and nothing to sign.
A short calculation, not a form you fill in
People often search for an “SA302 form”, but there’s nothing to fill in.
HMRC produces the SA302 tax calculation once your return has been processed through its online service. If you or your accountant file through commercial software instead, you normally get the equivalent calculation from that software, where it may be called a tax computation rather than an SA302.
Either way, think of it as the working-out: it takes the figures from your return and shows, step by step, how they turn into a tax bill. That’s why lenders trust it as evidence of income.
What an SA302 looks like when you print it
Downloaded from your HMRC account, it’s a document headed with the tax year, with figures in plain lists rather than numbered boxes.
There’s no signature or stamp; lenders rely on it because it comes from HMRC’s system and check it against the tax year overview.
What it shows, and what it leaves out
According to GOV.UK, the SA302 shows:
- your total income on which tax is due;
- any allowances and reliefs you have;
- the total you owe for the tax year; and
- how HMRC worked that amount out.
It doesn’t include payments on account, Budget Payment Plan payments or other amounts still owed, such as unpaid tax or penalties. Those appear on your statement and tax year overview instead.
The Sections of an SA302, Explained
Although the exact labels can vary from year to year and between HMRC and software versions, the content follows the same order. Here is each part and what to check on it.
| Section | What you’ll see | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Your details | Name, UTR, tax year, date produced | Name matches your application; correct year |
| 2. Income received | Each source listed: employment, self-employment, partnership, property, savings, dividends, pensions | Every source you declared appears once |
| 3. Total income | Sources added together | The figure lenders usually read first |
| 4. Allowances and reliefs | Personal Allowance; any reliefs that reduce income or extend a band | Allowance reduced if income is over £100,000 |
| 5. Income Tax by band | Amount taxed at each rate (20%, 40%, 45%), with savings and dividends on separate lines | Bands look right for your income |
| 6. National Insurance | Class 4 on self-employed profits: 6% between £12,570 and £50,270, 2% above (2026/27) | Only relevant if you have self-employment profits; see the Class 2 note below |
| 7. Tax already deducted | PAYE from a job or pension, tax taken off at source | Matches your P60s |
| 8. Total tax due for the year | Income Tax plus NI, less anything already paid | Matches the bill on your tax year overview |
A note on Class 2: in 2026/27, if your self-employed profits are £7,105 or more, Class 2 National Insurance is generally treated as paid for your National Insurance record, so you don’t pay it as a separate charge. Below that, you may be able to pay voluntary Class 2 at £3.65 a week to protect your record, according to GOV.UK’s self-employed NI rates. Don’t expect Class 2 to appear as a payable line on every SA302.
SA302 Example: A Labelled 2026/27 Illustration
This SA302 example shows the kind of figures you’d see for a self-employed electrician in England with £62,000 profit and no other income in 2026/27. It is our illustration of the calculation, not a copy of an HMRC document.
Important: the 2026/27 tax year runs from 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027, so a real SA302 for this year can only exist after the year has ended and the return has been sent and processed. The example below simply applies 2026/27 rates. It uses the Income Tax bands for England; Scottish taxpayers have different bands and rates, while the Personal Allowance and Class 4 thresholds shown apply across the UK.
| Tax year 2026/27 · Taxpayer: Sample Electrician · UTR: 0000000000 (sample) | |
| Profit from self-employment | £62,000.00 |
| Self-employment profit included in total income | £62,000.00 |
| minus Personal Allowance | £12,570.00 |
| Total income on which tax is due | £49,430.00 |
| Basic rate: £37,700.00 at 20% | £7,540.00 |
| Higher rate: £11,730.00 at 40% | £4,692.00 |
| Income Tax due | £12,232.00 |
| Class 4 NI: £37,700.00 at 6% | £2,262.00 |
| Class 4 NI: £11,730.00 at 2% | £234.60 |
| Income Tax and Class 4 NI due for 2026/27 | £14,728.60 |
Figures use 2026/27 rates for England: Personal Allowance £12,570, basic-rate band £37,700, Class 4 at 6% between £12,570 and £50,270 and 2% above. Profit is above £7,105, so Class 2 is treated as paid for the NI record and isn’t shown as a charge. A real SA302 may show more lines and different labels.
How to read the example line by line
- Top line: the profit figure comes straight from the self-employment pages of the tax return.
- Self-employment profit included in total income: £62,000. For a sole trader this is net business profit, not turnover. Mortgage lenders commonly assess self-employed applicants on net profit; company directors may be assessed on salary and dividends or their share of company profits, depending on the lender.
- Personal Allowance: the first £12,570 is tax-free, leaving £49,430 to tax.
- Tax bands: £37,700 falls in the basic-rate band and the remaining £11,730 at the higher rate.
- Class 4 NI: charged on profit, not taxable income, so it starts from £12,570 of profit and drops to 2% above £50,270.
- Bottom line: £14,728.60 is the year’s liability. Payments on account for the following year aren’t on this page.
How the SA302 example changes with other income
With more than one income source, the calculation simply gets more lines. Take an employee earning £30,000 who also has £8,000 of rental profit in 2026/27. The SA302 would list both sources, giving total income of £38,000. After the £12,570 Personal Allowance, £25,430 is taxed at 20%, which is £5,086.
It would then deduct the £3,486 PAYE already paid on the salary, leaving £1,600. Rental income isn’t self-employment, so there’s no Class 4. This is again an illustration. It assumes the person lives in England, was employed for the full year on a standard 1257L tax code, had no other taxable income or reliefs and no other PAYE adjustments.
SA302 vs Tax Computation vs Tax Year Overview
Three documents are often confused. Lenders normally ask for the first or second, plus the third.
| Document | Produced by | What it looks like | What it proves |
|---|---|---|---|
| SA302 tax calculation | HMRC, from a return filed through your HMRC account | Income, allowances, tax and NI worked through to a total | How much you earned and the tax on it |
| Tax computation | Commercial software, when you or your accountant file that way | Similar calculation, in the software’s own layout | The same as an SA302, from the software |
| Tax year overview | HMRC, from your online account | A short summary of the tax charged for that year and the payments made against it | That HMRC’s records show the same liability for the year; it is a separate document from the calculation |
Your Self Assessment statement is different again: it is a running record of bills and payments over time, while the tax calculation shows how one year’s liability was worked out. Don’t treat any two of these as the same document.
GOV.UK confirms that if you use commercial software you’ll need to print the calculation from that software, where it may be called a tax computation, and that you can still print the tax year overview from your HMRC account.
How Does an SA302 Differ from a Full Self Assessment Tax Return?
The tax return is what you send to HMRC; the SA302 is the result. The return holds all the detail, while the calculation shows only the sums that come out of it.
A full return includes your income, business expenses, allowances, reliefs and the declarations you make. The SA302 turns those entries into a tax figure, which is why lenders ask for it instead of the return.
| Document | What it contains | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| SA302 tax calculation | How your tax for one year was worked out | After the return is processed online (or from software as a tax computation) |
| Full Self Assessment tax return (SA100 and supplementary pages) | Your income, expenses, allowances, reliefs and declarations, sent to HMRC | You or your accountant complete and submit it |
| Tax year overview | A summary of the tax charged for the year and payments made | Printed from your HMRC online account |
| Self Assessment statement | A running record of bills and payments | Viewed in your HMRC online account |
What Mortgage Lenders Check on Your SA302
Once you know the answer to what does an SA302 look like, it’s easier to see it the way an underwriter does. Most lenders run through the same handful of checks.
- Identity: the name and UTR match your application and other documents.
- Tax years: the years are the ones requested and the most recent available.
- Income: the breakdown by source, usually net profit for sole traders, often averaged across two years.
- Consistency: the SA302 or tax computation total matches the tax year overview for the same year.
- Format: the lender accepts copies you’ve printed yourself. GOV.UK advises checking this with your mortgage provider.
If you’ve been self-employed for less than two years
You may only have one SA302, or none yet. Some lenders accept a single year; others wait for a second. Bear in mind that your first year’s calculation may cover only a short first period of trading, so the income can look lower than a full year. Your broker can tell you which lenders suit your situation.
How many years a lender wants is set by the lender, not by HMRC. Two years is common, but some ask for more and some accept one. Check with your broker before you start printing.
SA302s for company directors
A director who pays themselves a small salary and dividends will see the salary as employment income and the dividends on their own lines further down, taxed at the dividend rates after the £500 dividend allowance. Lenders often look at both the SA302 and the company’s accounts, because the director’s personal income doesn’t show profit left in the company. Depending on its criteria, a lender may assess salary and dividends or the director’s share of company profits.
SA302 Red Flags and How to Fix Them
If something on the document looks odd, there’s usually a simple reason.
| Problem | Likely reason | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Totals don’t match the tax year overview | A recent amendment or a return still processing | Wait a few days and print both again |
| The latest year isn’t there | Less than 72 hours since filing, or a paper return | Wait 72 hours after filing online; for a paper return, HMRC normally sends the calculation by post |
| An income figure is wrong | A mistake on the return | Amend the return within the time limit, then reprint |
| No SA302 in your HMRC account | Your accountant filed through software | Ask them for the tax computation; print the overview yourself |
| The year you need is older than 4 years | SA302s are online for the last 4 years only | Print the tax year overview (available for any year) or contact HMRC |
To correct a return, GOV.UK says you usually have 12 months from the Self Assessment deadline: for 2024/25, that means by 31 January 2027. If you filed online, the amended bill shows straight away, and your statement updates within about three days. Print a fresh SA302 after that.
How to Get Your SA302 (Quick Version)
Getting the document is quicker than most people expect. These are the key points from GOV.UK’s SA302 page.
- Sign in to your HMRC online account, go to Self Assessment, then “More details about your Self Assessment returns and payments”.
- You can’t print it until 72 hours after you’ve sent your return.
- SA302s are available for the last 4 years; the tax year overview is available for any year.
- If you used commercial software, print the calculation from that software instead.
What Does an SA302 Look Like? FAQs
Is an SA302 a form?
Not in the sense of something you fill in. It’s a calculation HMRC produces from your Self Assessment return, which you print from your online account.
What is the SA302 meaning?
SA302 is HMRC’s name for the Self Assessment tax calculation: the document that shows your income for a tax year and how your tax bill was worked out.
Does an SA302 show payments on account?
No. GOV.UK says it leaves out payments on account, Budget Payment Plan payments and other outstanding amounts. Those are on your statement and tax year overview.
Can I get an SA302 if I’m only employed?
Only if you file a Self Assessment return. If all your income goes through PAYE and you don’t file a return, lenders usually ask for payslips and P60s instead.
How many years of SA302s do lenders want?
It depends on the lender. Two years is common, but check with your lender or broker first.
Is a software tax computation the same as an SA302?
It does the same job. GOV.UK says software users should print their tax calculation from the software, where it may be called a tax computation. Most lenders accept it with the tax year overview.
What does an SA302 look like for a landlord?
The same as for anyone else, with rental profit listed as property income. Landlords with mortgage interest may also see a separate tax reduction for finance costs near the end of the calculation.
Can I use an SA302 from a previous tax year for a mortgage?
Yes, SA302s are available online for the last 4 years, and lenders usually ask for the most recent one or two. Whether an older year is acceptable depends on the lender, so check with your broker.
Can I get an SA302 if my accountant filed my tax return?
If your accountant filed through commercial software, ask them for the tax computation from that software, which does the same job. You can still print the tax year overview from your own HMRC account.
Why doesn’t my SA302 match my tax year overview?
Usually because a return was amended recently or is still processing. Wait a few days, print both again, and check the totals.
Final Verdict: What Does an SA302 Look Like, and Why Does It Matter?
So, what does an SA302 look like? A short, top-to-bottom calculation: your details, income by source, allowances, tax and National Insurance, then the year’s total. Knowing that layout makes it easy to spot problems before a lender does. Print it with the matching tax year overview, check the totals agree, and fix any mistake on the return rather than the document.
- Ask your broker how many years and which documents the lender wants.
- Print the SA302 (or tax computation) and the tax year overview for each year.
- Need your return filed or checked first? Call 0116 4030595 or email info@majoraccountancy.com.
Self-employed or a sole trader? See our small business tax service. Landlords can use our landlord property tax service, and directors our limited company directors service.
Why trust this guide
- Written by Shahinur Chowdhury, UK Accountant at Major Accountancy.
- Sources: what the SA302 shows, how to get it and how to amend a return all come from GOV.UK, checked on 6 November 2026.
- Example: the sample calculation is our own illustration, clearly labelled, with 2026/27 rates; the sums were recalculated before publishing.
- General information only, not personal tax or mortgage advice.
- GOV.UK: Get your SA302 tax calculation
- GOV.UK: Understand your Self Assessment bill – tax calculation (SA302)
- GOV.UK: If you need to change your return
- GOV.UK: National Insurance rates and allowances
- GOV.UK: Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances
- GOV.UK: Self-employed National Insurance rates
- GOV.UK: Scottish Income Tax