Author: Stephanie Whalley

You don’t need us to tell you that in order to succeed as a business owner, you can’t stand still for too long. Evaluation and evolution are critical, so there may come a time when the best way forward involves offering a wider range of freelance services. Expanding your offering can be a smart way to encourage business growth, get ahead of the competition, and stay relevant in your market. That said, it’s vital to be strategic about it. We look at times when adding to your services could be a great idea, versus when you should probably hold off…

According to data collected by The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE), there are now almost 2 million freelancers in the UK alone. In fact, the Self-Employed Landscape Report revealed that freelancers make up nearly half (46%) of the country’s overall solo self-employed population. The same research found that: A significant proportion of freelancers live in London (24%) and the Southeast (22%) Northern Ireland and Wales experienced the most notable decline in freelancers last year London, Scotland and the Northwest saw the largest increase in freelancer numbers during the same time period The West Midlands now comprises 7%…

Whether it’s to pursue a passion, expand a skillset or support themselves financially through their studies, some students turn to freelancing. If you’re a UK resident attending a UK university, part-time freelancing is accepted as a great way to earn extra money and gain experience in a particular area. But freelancing is not permitted if you’re an international student attending a UK university on a student visa. This is because of restrictions about the number of hours and type of work you’re allowed to do on this type of visa. Benefits of freelancing while studying for a degree The…

Goals are a crucial part of any project, including running a freelance business. Without aims, objectives, or a clear purpose, running and growing your business can become a real challenge. No matter what you set out to do with your business, setting realistic goals will help you steer the way when it comes to strategy, planning, and decision-making.

Going through the process of securing a mortgage and buying a home is hard enough when you have a regular salary from permanent employment. For freelancers it can be even trickier thanks to fluctuating income and having to provide evidence of your earnings.

For some people, retirement plans include travelling to bucket list destinations, investing time into new hobbies, or home renovation projects that have been neglected for many years. It’s a chance to leave behind the world of work altogether and turn their attention to other things entirely. For others, retirement is the perfect time to focus on a post-employment freelance venture. This could be continuing a freelance side hustle that is already up and running, or it could mean venturing into the world of freelancing afresh. There’s absolutely nothing to stop you freelancing once you reach retirement age, or even if…

With some freelancers looking to sustain their self-employment venture, (or even for a side hustle to their original side hustle), online selling is becoming ever more popular.

Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also one of the most expensive. There are extra costs coming at you left, right and centre, not helped, of course, by the increased cost of living. If you’re looking for extra funds to support your seasonal spending this year, you might consider setting up a freelance side hustle to help you generate some additional income. Ways to make cash for Christmas as a freelancer If you have some spare time outside of paid employment and would like to make some extra spends in time for the…

The nature of being a freelancer means that you’re self-employed, and therefore not paid by an employer who will make tax deductions on your behalf through the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system. Generating your own income from self-employment means you’re also responsible for paying your own tax and keeping HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) up to date with your financial situation. How you pay the tax you owe on your freelance earnings depends on how you are set up as a business. For most freelancers this usually means operating as either a sole trader or as a limited company.…

As a self-employed freelancer you’ll need to report your earnings to HMRC and pay tax on them. To make sure that HMRC identify your tax records correctly, they’ll assign a Unique Taxpayer Reference number (UTR for short) once you register the business.