Self-employed mobile spray tan technicians face solution, equipment and travel costs against typically part-time income. Full worked example on £14,000 turnover shows a £74 tax and NI bill.
Self-employed tailors and seamstresses juggle machine costs, fabric stock and a mix of alterations and made-to-measure work. Full worked example on £26,000 turnover shows a £2,046 tax and NI bill.
Freelance transcriptionists run one of the leanest self-employed businesses around — minimal kit, almost no overhead. Full worked example on £24,000 turnover shows why your effective tax rate can bite harder than you expect.
Selling restored furniture on Facebook Marketplace, Etsy or from a local shop counts as trading, not hobby income, once you're buying regularly to resell. Full worked example on £22,000 turnover shows a take-home of roughly £16,300 after tax.
Self-employed upholsterers carry heavy material and tool costs alongside a collection-and-delivery van. Full worked example on £34,000 turnover shows a £3,758 tax and NI bill.
Selling vintage and second-hand clothing at scale on Vinted, Depop and eBay is a real trading business, not a hobby. Full worked example on £28,000 turnover plus how the VAT margin scheme works once you register.
Freelance web developers mixing project work and contract roles must weigh sole trader vs limited company and watch IR35 status. Full worked example on £55,000 turnover compares both structures.
Taking your UK sole trader business abroad for a few months? You may still owe UK tax on 100% of your profits even while living overseas. Full residency and Self Assessment breakdown for 2026/27.
Selling surplus vegetables, fruit or plants from an allotment is covered by the £1,000 trading allowance for most growers. When it tips into a taxable trade, and what expenses can then be claimed, in 2026/27.
Most barbershop staff rent their chair rather than draw a wage — a structure HMRC scrutinises closely. Full guide to chair rental agreements, deductible expenses, and a worked example on £32,000 turnover.
Self-employed beauty therapists and nail technicians often rent a chair or room in a salon rather than employ staff. Full worked example on £22,000 turnover, chair-rent deductions and product costs.
Do hobby beekeepers selling honey, wax and nucleus colonies need to pay tax? How the £1,000 trading allowance and HMRC's badges of trade apply to small-scale beekeeping income in 2026/27.
