Author: Stephanie Whalley

VAT stands for Value Added Tax. It’s a type of UK consumption tax applied to the value added at each part of the production and sale of goods and services. In simple terms, it’s extra money added on top of the making and selling of things, which the government then collects and reinvests. The standard VAT rate is 20% and this applies to most qualifying goods and services, although some things like sanitary products, financial services and children’s clothing have reduced (5%) or no (0%) VAT applied. The end customer is the one that ultimately pays VAT but as you…

Whether you’re expecting the pitter-patter of tiny feet or you’ve just brought your new bundle of joy into the world, congratulations! If you’re in employment and on maternity leave, you will likely be receiving Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) if you are a qualifying employee. To qualify, you must: Have been working for your employer for at least 26 weeks by the 15th week prior to your baby’s due date Earn a minimum of £123 per week (pre-tax) Have given notice to your employer at least 28 days before stopping work Have provided proof of the pregnancy (typically this is a…

All too often the word ‘brand’ is only associated with big, established companies or particular types of businesses and industries, when branding is an essential key to success no matter how big (or small) your business is. We explore why even as a solo-flying freelancer, it’s important to build and maintain a strong personal brand. What is a personal brand? Your personal brand is essentially your business’s personality and identity. It’s rather like the way you choose what to wear, speak, and conduct yourself in order to convey a particular image to the world. Much like with regular business…

Collaborate with the competition? Fraternise with the enemy more like. That’s what you might be thinking about the suggestion of working with other freelancers, so we’re here to open your mind to the potential pros of doing so. Being your own boss as a freelancer doesn’t mean you have to go it alone all the time. Joining forces with other like-minded professionals has the potential to boost your income, expand your connections and open new doors for your business. Reasons to collaborate with other freelancers Although being a freelancer is innately solitary, sometimes strength really does come in numbers.…

Email marketing is a popular form of digital marketing that involves sending promotional email communications to people on your mailing list. These could be existing clients, or connections who aren’t customers yet but have subscribed to your email comms via your website or some other means of data capture. Email marketing is a heavyweight when it comes to marketing, with its revenue expected to grow by 287% between 2024 and 2032, according to a study by popular email marketing platform, Mailchimp. Sent straight to the reader’s inbox, it’s a direct way to engage with them – as long as they…

As a freelancer there might be times when you need to travel for work. If you use your own vehicle to make the journey, you can claim the cost of your trip against your tax bill as an allowable business expense. In this article we’ll go over what you can claim for, and how to work out your mileage expenses. How much is the mileage allowance for freelancers? Freelance sole traders can claim a mileage allowance based on what type of vehicle they use for the journey. Travel in your own car or van, for example, and you can…

Bookkeeping isn’t just a necessity reserved only for owners of big businesses, and it’s equally as essential for small businesses, sole traders and freelancers too. This process deals with how you record and manage what money is coming into the business (income) and what is going out of it (expenditure). Keeping an eye on this flow of cash (literally known as your cash flow!) is what will help you stay financially healthy, and hopefully improve your chances of making a profit. With so many different types of bookkeeping software available for freelancers to choose from, we thought we’d take a…

There are a whole host of different jobs freelancers can do, from things like accounting or digital marketing to the more unusual roles of expert bed-tester or a professional bridesmaid.

A common problem for those who take the leap from employment into being their own boss is wondering how to describe themselves. Am I suddenly a CEO of something? The MD? A freelancer? Something else? They all exist in the same professional realm, so the terms do overlap but there are nuances between them which are important to note for legal and financial reasons. Some of the terms we use to describe self-employment actually describe the legal structure of your business, and these have an impact on how you register your business as well as for tax compliance. It can…

Working from home is great. Coffee just the way you like it and without the queue. Whatever playlist you want on Spotify. Staying in your slippers all day. Nobody steals your breakfast from the fridge. Saving money and hassle on the daily work commute. Working from home and avoiding the commute gives you some precious time back too. This can be used to spend time with your loved ones, do some exercise, indulge in a hobby, or simply get some more sleep. Government data found that 78% of those who work from home in some capacity agreed that being able…