Receiving a letter from HMRC telling you your tax affairs are under review is unsettling — but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve done anything wrong. HMRC investigates both randomly and … [Read more...] about What Happens If HMRC Investigates My Business?
Tax & Self Assessment
What Is the Trading Allowance — and Can I Use It?
If you earn a modest amount from self-employment on top of other income — perhaps from a side hustle, casual work, or selling things online — you may be able to take advantage of the trading allowance … [Read more...] about What Is the Trading Allowance — and Can I Use It?
How to Budget for Your Tax Bill as a Sole Trader
One of the biggest financial challenges for self-employed people is the tax bill. Unlike employees, sole traders don’t have tax deducted at source — it all comes due in one (or sometimes two) … [Read more...] about How to Budget for Your Tax Bill as a Sole Trader
Working From Home as a Self-Employed Person: What Can You Claim?
Many sole traders and self-employed people work from home, at least some of the time. The good news is that HMRC allows you to claim a portion of your home running costs as a business expense — … [Read more...] about Working From Home as a Self-Employed Person: What Can You Claim?
What to Do If You’ve Missed the Self Assessment Deadline
The 31 January deadline for Self Assessment is one of the most important dates in the tax calendar — but life happens, and sometimes it gets missed. If you’ve not filed or paid on time, the most … [Read more...] about What to Do If You’ve Missed the Self Assessment Deadline
How to Register as Self-Employed with HMRC
If you’ve started working for yourself — whether as a freelancer, a tradesperson, or running any kind of small business — you need to let HMRC know. Registering as self-employed is … [Read more...] about How to Register as Self-Employed with HMRC
What Is a Payment on Account — and Why Is HMRC Asking for Double?
If you’ve just filed your first Self Assessment return and the bill from HMRC is almost twice what you were expecting, you’ve just discovered payments on account. It’s one of the … [Read more...] about What Is a Payment on Account — and Why Is HMRC Asking for Double?
National Insurance for the Self-Employed: Class 2 and Class 4 Explained
When you work for an employer, National Insurance is handled automatically through payroll. When you’re self-employed, it works quite differently — and understanding the two classes of NI … [Read more...] about National Insurance for the Self-Employed: Class 2 and Class 4 Explained