Recent times have been tough to say the least. For freelancers and the self-employed it’s been a time of struggle, looking for support amidst the global health and economic crisis of COVID-19. That’s why we make it our mission to guide aspiring freelancers and budding business owners towards the grants, policies and support avenues that are out there to help them. Today, we turn the spotlight on the New Enterprise Allowance (NEA), which has been in force since 2011 but is perhaps now more valuable than ever.
Author: Stephanie Whalley
Stephanie Whalley
Serial snacker, compulsive cocktail sipper and full time wordsmith with a penchant for alliteration, all things marketing and pineapple on pizza.
The very short answer to this question is that yes, in most cases you are allowed to carry out freelance work whilst in employment. That said, there are a number of circumstances that might mean this isn’t the case, or that there are conditions your employer expects you to adhere to.
We’ve spoken before about the many benefits of freelancing. Controlling your own time, being your own boss, and the flexibility and variety it brings to your life – just to name a few. If the current climate has taught us anything though, it’s that life as a freelancer certainly isn’t all plain sailing.
Data from a Simply Business survey reveals over 40% of freelancers have done work for free. That’s a significant number of freelancers providing time and expertise for no payment.
Making Tax Digital (MTD) is a government initiative to generate a fully digital, paperless tax system. Initially introduced for VAT-paying businesses, it will soon extend to taxpayers using Self Assessment – which inevitably affects freelancers!
There are many perks that come as part and parcel of the freelance life – director of your own time, artistic autonomy, control of the purse strings and nobody to answer to when you want to take the afternoon off to spend horizontal on the sofa.
Finance is a scary word for many of us as freelancers. If we’re experts in writing and design, we’re not necessarily the most adept at crunching the numbers.
Working on your own is a bit different to working for a company, as the sole person behind all of the work, you are the brand.
Do you have too many clients and not enough time? Past-you no doubt envies your position. There was probably a time where you struggled to get clients or enough of them to make a living, but now things are on the way up and it’s a great position to be in.
Tapping into our technological devices first thing in the morning has become a toxic trait most of us are guilty of.
