The freelance admin you were never taught
Practical guides for UK freelancers: contracts, invoicing, tax, pricing, and what to do when a job goes wrong.
Latest
National Insurance when you're self-employed: what you actually pay
Class 2 stopped being a bill for most sole traders in April 2024, and a lot of the advice online still says otherwise. What Class 4 costs on your profit, what the credit on your record is protecting, and the one year where you have a decision to make.
Sole trader or limited company? A UK freelancer's guide for 2026
Most freelancers should stay sole traders longer than the internet suggests. What each structure actually is, what the April 2026 dividend rise did to the sums, and the reasons to incorporate that have nothing to do with tax.
All guides
How to move a client onto a monthly retainer
A retainer sells reliable access to your time, not a discount on your day rate. How to spot the client who is already on one, what to charge, what to put in writing, and the HMRC status question that comes with leaning on a single client.
Your client has gone bust. What happens to your unpaid invoice
Chasing stops working the moment the company stops existing. What to check on Companies House, how to file a proof of debt, where you sit in the queue, and what you can still claim back from HMRC.
Before you connect an AI assistant to your client data
Assistants can now read your live business data, not just draft text for you. That makes connecting one a permissions decision. Five questions worth answering first, including the one about your clients.
Started freelancing this year? You have to tell HMRC by 5 October
The freelance deadline nobody warns you about is not the January tax return, it is registering in the first place. If you started freelancing in the 2025/26 tax year, that is 5 October 2026.
HelloNoa vs ChatGPT and Claude: can't AI just do your admin?
ChatGPT and Claude are brilliant at drafts. Your admin needs more than drafts: signing, chasing, records and a page your client can pay from. Here's the honest comparison.
VAT for UK freelancers: when you have to register (and what changes)
VAT registration is compulsory once your taxable turnover passes £90,000 in any rolling 12 months, and there's a second test that catches people out. Here's when you cross the line, what changes on your invoices, and whether registering early is worth it.
Should you ask for a deposit? A UK freelancer's guide to upfront payments
Asking for a deposit before you start work is normal freelance practice, not cheeky. Here's how much to ask for, when to skip it, the UK legal caveats, and how HelloNoa raises the deposit invoice for you.
When your client's lawyer wants changes: what's fair, what isn't
Your client's legal team sent comments on your contract. Some asks are fair, some have a built-in answer, and some quietly shift all the risk onto you. Here's how to tell them apart, and the one sentence that ends most negotiations.
The first Making Tax Digital deadline is 7 August. Here's what to file (and how long it takes)
The first Making Tax Digital quarterly update is due 7 August 2026, and HMRC says around 864,000 sole traders and landlords are in scope. Who has to file, what a quarterly update actually is, how long it takes, and what happens if you miss it.
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