The £1,000 trading allowance and when to register
What counts as gross trading income, whether to claim the allowance or expenses, and when to tell HMRC.
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Straight answers to the things most people ask in their first year of self-employment: what to charge, how to price a project, what has to go on an invoice, Self Assessment deadlines and what to do when a client doesn't pay.
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How to become a UK sole trader in 2026/27
Five steps from your first client to registering with HMRC: the deadlines, what you'll pay in NI, and when VAT comes in.
Read the guide →Your first Self Assessment: deadlines and payments on account
The 5 October registration deadline, the 31 January filing and payment date, and a worked example of how payments on account work in your first year.
Read the guide →What a UK invoice has to include: a sole trader checklist
The details you have to include, the rules if you use a business name, the extras on a VAT invoice, payment terms and a filled-in example.
Read the checklist →How to price a project (not hourly) as a UK freelancer
How to quote a fixed price: list the tasks, estimate the hours, add a buffer and multiply by your rate. Then the five things to get agreed in writing.
Read the guide →What a UK freelancer should charge in 2026
Typical UK rates by field, and the sums for setting your own rate once tax, NI and unpaid hours are counted.
Read the guide →How to chase a late payment in the UK without losing the client
Four steps from a friendly reminder to the small claims court, and the statutory interest and compensation you're legally allowed to claim.
Read the guide →The eight things a UK invoice needs
What every UK invoice has to show, the extra details for sole traders, when you need a full VAT invoice and the rules on late payment.
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