ClaimMateSort my first expense
Where ClaimMate sits

Between the shoebox and the bookkeeping software.

Most sole traders don't need a general ledger. They need help deciding whether the thing they just bought counts, and to have that written down properly when the accountant asks. ClaimMate prepares those records for you and your accountant to review.

Important: ClaimMate is a record-keeping assistant, not tax software and not a substitute for professional advice. It suggests categories and flags items to review based on published HMRC guidance, but your accountant has the final say on what is allowable in your tax return.

The four camps

Full bookkeeping software

Ledgers, invoices, VAT, payroll.

Powerful, but built for people who already think like bookkeepers.

Tax return apps

Get the return filed on time.

Good at the form. Quiet on whether a cost is actually claimable.

Receipt scanners

Photograph and store the paperwork.

They capture. They don't help you decide.

ClaimMate

Helps you decide what to claim, one receipt at a time.

Learns your trade, remembers your suppliers, and asks when unsure. Final decisions stay with you and your accountant.

What makes it different

It asks instead of guessing

When a cost could be work or personal, you get one plain question and a tap. Nothing is quietly filed on your behalf, and nothing is guaranteed claimable until you or your accountant confirm it.

It learns your trade and your suppliers

Tell it once that the wholesaler is for work, and it remembers. Everything it has learned is visible, and you can delete any of it.

It shows its confidence

Sure, fairly sure, or needs a look. Anything uncertain lands in Things to sort rather than pretending to be finished.

It prepares accountant-ready records

A tidy pack per tax year: spend by category, the receipt files, and a short list of anything still outstanding. Your accountant still judges what is allowable.

What you actually get

These are example outputs. Your own pack will reflect the receipts and answers you put in.

From a photo to a structured record

Supplier
Screwfix Direct
Date
12 Aug 2026
Total
£47.83
Category
Tools & equipment
Business use
100% — user confirmed
Confidence
High

ClaimMate reads the receipt, suggests a category, and waits for you to confirm before it counts anything.

The Accountant Pack

Tax year
2025-26
Total recorded spend
£8,420.00
Categories
Materials, Travel, Tools, Subscriptions
Receipts attached
124 of 131
Items to review
7
Export
CSV + receipt ZIP

One download with the figures, the evidence, and a short list of what still needs a decision.

Things to sort

Unreadable photo
1 receipt
Possible duplicate
2 items
Work vs personal
3 items awaiting answer
No receipt yet
1 recorded cost

Problems are surfaced, not hidden. You choose what to fix, ignore, or send to your accountant.

Common questions

How accurate is the receipt reading?

ClaimMate uses AI to read dates, amounts, and supplier names. It is usually right, but it can misread crumpled, dark, or partial receipts. That is why every high-confidence entry still needs your confirmation, and anything uncertain goes straight to Things to sort.

Does ClaimMate give tax advice?

No. ClaimMate explains HMRC guidance in plain language and suggests whether a cost looks claimable based on the rules and the facts you provide. It does not know your full tax position, and it cannot replace your accountant or HMRC's view of your specific case.

Where does the HMRC guidance come from?

Explanations are grounded in published HMRC guidance and GOV.UK pages, such as HS222 and the Business Income Manual. We show the source where possible, and we do not invent rules. Guidance changes, so we flag the date of the source and recommend checking the latest version.

What does ClaimMate infer, and what do I provide?

ClaimMate only infers the category and likely business-use split from the receipt and what you have told it before. It never invents a supplier relationship, never assumes personal costs are business, and never files anything without your say. You confirm, correct, or reject every suggestion.

Can my accountant rely on the figures?

The Accountant Pack is designed to make your accountant's job easier, not to remove their judgement. Every figure carries the source receipt and a note of why it was categorised. Your accountant still decides what is allowable in your accounts and tax return.

What happens to my data?

Your receipt images and records are stored in your own account and are not used to train models. You can export or delete everything at any time. See the Privacy page for the full policy.

Why now

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is pulling self-employed people into digital record-keeping and quarterly updates in stages from April 2026. A lot of tradespeople are about to need something better than a carrier bag of receipts for the first time, and most of them don't want to become bookkeepers to get there.

For accountants

ClaimMate is a companion to your work, not a replacement for it.