Author: Stephanie Whalley

Unfortunately, this question is right up there with ‘how long is a piece of string?’. The short answer is that it all really depends on a whole host of variables, such as: The reason the work wasn’t completed The kind of relationship you have with the client External influential factors which neither party can do much about In most cases a commonsense approach is probably what’s needed, but freelancing isn’t always so straightforward. So, let’s take a look at some examples of what happens when a project doesn’t work out, and what this means for billing. In some cases, charging…

Thinking about becoming self-employed? There are quite a few tax breaks and allowances out there that can really make a difference to your wallet. One of them is the trading allowance.

If you’re planning to work as a sub-contractor in the construction industry, then it’s worth knowing that most construction-based trades will fall under the Construction Industry Scheme. CIS affects how you get paid by the contractor who hires you, so this blog takes a closer look at what CIS is and what you need to do. A quick introduction to CIS tax CIS was introduced in 1971 to ensure that tax is collected from payments made to subcontractors in the construction industry. With a few exceptions, any business operating in the construction industry will be classed as a “contractor”…

As a freelancer, managing your cash flow is something you can’t really put off. With an often-unpredictable income, it can also be somewhat tricky to get right. Here we’ve put together some tips to help you manage your cash flow like a pro.

Yes, you can invoice your own limited company as a self-employed individual – but it needs to be done carefully and for the right reasons. Because a limited company is a separate legal entity from its owner, it is technically possible to carry out self-employed work for a company you direct and invoice it accordingly. But you need to proceed with caution – HMRC scrutinises these arrangements closely, so it’s important to be able to clearly demonstrate that the two roles are genuinely distinct. This article covers the tax and legal implications, and what to watch out for. The…

The life of a freelancer might seem fairly easy at times. You get to take charge of your own time, curate a roster of clients you’re truly passionate about working with, and maybe even drink beer at your desk on a Friday lunchtime if the mood takes you.

Yes – freelancers can absolutely outsource work to others, and it’s more common than you might think. Whether you need extra capacity to meet a deadline, want to plug a gap in your own skillset, or are looking to take on larger and more varied projects, outsourcing can be a smart and practical solution. This article covers the most common reasons freelancers outsource, and how to do it well. Reasons why a freelancer might need to outsource work Although it might not be an everyday occurrence, there may come a time when you need to bolt-on some expertise to…

Maybe you’re new to the world of freelance. Perhaps you’ve been freelancing for quite some time now. Either way, writing pitches and proposals might not be what you deal with on a day-to-day basis.

So you’ve become your own boss – big congratulations! But whether you’re embarking on a side gig or freelancing full time, taking this new and exciting step can also be pretty scary. One thing lots of new freelancers struggle to get to grips with are their tax liabilities. So we’ve put together a quick guide for freelancers on all things Self Assessment and tax returns to hopefully make things easier.

Whether or not you can classify your labour as an allowable expense comes down to how you pay yourself from the business, and that depends on what type of business structure you have in place. As a sole trader, any profits that the business makes are yours to keep after paying tax. That means you aren’t able to reclaim the cost of paying yourself as an expense. If you run a limited company, you are considered separate from your business, meaning you are able to pay yourself a salary as a company director. Salaries are eligible as an allowable expense,…