How to become self-employed: what you need to do
Thinking of going self-employed? Here are some practical steps to help you register, set up, and start trading – even if you are working for someone else.
Go Self Employed
Not sure whether self-employment is right for you?
This section explains what working for yourself involves, including the advantages, potential risks and the decisions you need to make before starting.
You’ll find business ideas, help choosing the right structure, guidance on registering with HMRC, and practical advice for running your business.
Ready to begin? Start with our 15 steps to becoming self-employed or compare the two most common structures:
sole trader versus limited company.
Business ideas
Running your business
Getting started
Registering and legal basics
- How to register as self-employed
- What happens if you register as self-employed late?
- What counts as your business start date?
- Choosing a business name as a sole trader
- Do sole traders need to register with Companies House?
- Professional memberships and registrations for sole traders
- Do you need a partnership agreement?
Ending or changing your business
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