Self-employed potters and ceramicists selling via markets, galleries and online face kiln costs, clay stock and stall fees. Full worked example on £19,000 turnover shows a £190 tax and NI bill.
Miss the 5 October registration deadline after going self-employed and you could face a Failure to Notify penalty of up to 100% of the tax owed. Full timeline and worked example.
Self-employed sign writers and vehicle wrap installers juggle vinyl stock costs, cutting plotters and a van that doubles as a rolling advert. Full worked example on £52,000 turnover and what's actually deductible.
Handmade soap and cosmetics sellers face a real compliance cost most crafters underestimate: a Cosmetic Product Safety Report, often £50-£150+ per product. Full worked example on £18,000 turnover and what you actually keep.
Freelance social media managers juggle multiple retainer clients and client ad budgets that pass through their hands. Full worked example on £38,000 turnover shows exactly what counts as your income and what to keep aside for tax.
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.
