Tax & HMRC
Self assessment, Making Tax Digital, and everything HMRC throws at freelancers
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.
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.
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.
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.
Allowable expenses for UK freelancers: what you can and can't claim
You only pay tax on your profit, not your turnover. Here's what counts as an allowable business expense for UK freelancers, what doesn't, and how simplified expenses can save you the admin.
Making Tax Digital: what UK freelancers need to know (2026)
HMRC's Making Tax Digital starts April 2026 for freelancers over £50,000. Here's what it means, what you need, and how to prepare.
Making Tax Digital: what freelancers actually need to do
MTD for Income Tax starts April 2026. Quarterly updates, digital records, compatible software. Here's what's changed and what you need to do before August.
Self assessment: the no-panic guide for freelancers
Self assessment doesn't have to be stressful. Here's what you owe, when it's due, and how to avoid penalties, explained like a human, not HMRC.
Less admin. More getting paid.
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