I’ve been training freelancers for so long now that I can remember being freelance under a previous Labour government! So does a change of governing party make a difference to self-employed people? Well – yes, if my experience is anything to go by. It’s been fun looking back over nearly 20 years and finding a
READ MORE >Posted on 12 July 2024
Everywhere I look these days someone is telling me to check my National Insurance record. I’ve discovered why…
READ MORE >Posted on 20 May 2024
One of the smaller announcements by Jeremy Hunt in his budget announcement (6 March 2024) was that the VAT threshold is to be raised by £5,000. It is £90,000 per year from 1st April 2024. This refers to the threshold of 12-monthly turnover at which a business, including sole traders, must become VAT registered. If
READ MORE >Posted on 08 March 2024
It was Jeremy Hunt’s turn in the spotlight on Tuesday 22 November 2023. As Chancellor he was making an autumn statement about upcoming changes, including to some taxes. The most significant change is to national insurance contributions, which are a kind of tax for working people.
READ MORE >Posted on 24 November 2023
Anyone who’s been on one of my courses will know that I have collected together a dozen ‘help sheets’ on different topics that are useful for freelancers.
READ MORE >Posted on 03 November 2023
There are two stages to paying income tax when you’re a sole trader: In between these you will receive a tax bill from HMRC. You can submit your self-assessment tax return as soon as a tax year finishes on 5th April.
READ MORE >Posted on 31 August 2023
I’ve had a couple of emails at the tail end of August, asking about how certain expenses are calculated when sole traders are doing their self-assessment tax return. One area that always causes confusion is the ‘use of home’. People usually know that something is offset-able for heating and lighting, but how is this calculated?
READ MORE >Posted on 31 August 2023
Did you know that 17th May is National Numeracy Day? Me neither, but it gives me the chance to point out that there are plenty of resources out there to help people who might be a little scared of numbers. One charity doing good in this area is National Numeracy, a driving force behind National
READ MORE >Posted on 11 May 2023
I suspect everyone poo-poos new tech as a threat to their job until they can see that it really is a moving a big tank onto their lawn. I had a sudden ‘get off my land’ moment just a few days ago.
READ MORE >Posted on 11 May 2023
Income tax years in the UK run (bizarrely) from 6th April to 5th April. And the rules change every year. Sometimes it’s a tweak and sometimes, following a general election, it can be a radical new direction. There can also be ‘interesting’ new directions when the Prime Minister is Liz Truss. That’s another story, so
READ MORE >Posted on 05 April 2023
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