Supporting the self-employed – since 2004
Skip to content
ByteStart ByteStart

Start a business as a Sole Trader or Limited Company

bright ideas sole trader accountant
  • Go Self Employed
  • Tax & HMRC
  • Accounts
  • Banking
  • Insurance
  • Protection
  • Pensions
  • News
  • Limited Company
bright ideas sole trader accountant

Tax & HMRC

Understanding how tax works is essential if you’re self-employed.

This section explains how the UK tax system applies to sole traders, including Income Tax, National Insurance, Self Assessment, and VAT.

You’ll also find guides covering common issues such as tax deadlines, penalties, record-keeping requirements, and the upcoming Making Tax Digital (MTD) rules.

Whether you’re just starting out or want to make sure you’re meeting HMRC’s requirements, these guides explain the key rules in plain English.

Start with these guides

  • What taxes do you pay if you work for yourself?
  • How does Self Assessment work if you’re self-employed?
  • What is Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax?
  • What is VAT and when do you have to register?
  • Use our sole trader tax calculator

Self Assessment and tax returns

  • Common Self Assessment mistakes
  • How long you must keep tax records
  • How to register for Making Tax Digital
  • MTD deadlines explained

National Insurance and allowances

  • National Insurance for the self-employed
  • The trading allowance explained
  • High income child benefit charge
  • Student loan repayments for the self-employed

VAT and business taxes

  • VAT threshold explained
  • VAT guide for small businesses
  • Flat Rate VAT scheme explained

Tax mistakes and common problems

  • Registered twice with HMRC?
  • HMRC interest rates on late tax payments
  • Business Asset Disposal Relief explained
self asessment deadline small business owner

Over 5m yet to file self assessment returns – don’t miss the 31st Jan deadline!

January 8, 2025
HMRC says that by the start of 2025, over 5 million people had yet to file their self-assessment tax returns. Make sure you don't miss the deadline!
Read More
HMRC late payment interest

Big gap between HMRC interest rate on late payments vs. refunds

November 13, 2024
In what one tax advisory calls the 'elephant in the room', there is a sizeable gap between the interest rate HMRC pays on late payments and the amount of interest it pays out on tax refunds.
Read More
register for vat self employed

VAT registration – when should you register for VAT? Try HMRC’s handy estimator

September 5, 2024
If your business's "taxable supplies" over the past 12 months have exceeded the VAT registration threshold, you should register for VAT. As of April 2024, the VAT registration threshold increased…
Read More

Posts pagination

Previous page 1 2 3 4
Tide Bank Account – £50 Cashback
Tide business bank account

Free account + £50 cashback via ByteStart

Open a Tide account

Brand new ByteStart guides
  • Subsistence expenses for sole traders: meals, hotels and what you can claim
  • Can sole traders claim insurance premiums as a business expense?
  • Can sole traders claim car or van repair costs as a business expense?



About Us | Cookies | Privacy | Terms | Site Map

©Contract Eye Limited 2004-26 - All rights reserved.
Registered Address: 71-75 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9JQ
Scroll to Top