Or does anyone know of the marketing equivalent of CIEP that offers guidance on minimums here. Don’t want to undercharge.

Hello guys, i’ve been seeing freelancing quite a lot since late 2023 up until now and i really have wanted to get involved however i dont know where to start. So if you guys could just take me as a literal beginner with no experience in freelance, what would be the tips you’d give and the guidance? Thank you.

Hey everyone,

I'm running a small tech gig that specialises in web and software solutions, including some cool projects with React, GPT-integration, web dev etc etc. We’re in growth mode and I’m exploring ways to collaborate with someone who’s skilled in project acquisition.

I’m looking for someone who’s a bit of a tech enthusiast/has some tech background, and a knack for sales/project hunting, and maybe knows a thing or two about JavaScript or AI. The collab would be commission-based, focusing on scouting and securing new projects.

Does anyone have tips on where I could find someone like this? Maybe forums, communities, or specific networks? 

Appreciate any advice or pointers you guys can offer!

Thanks!

Hi all! I am just starting my freelancer journey and about to take on my first client.

We have agreed a rate for a certain number of hours per week. I will be on retainer indefinitely.

My question is what is the best way to invoice for this: every 4 weeks, or every month?

As I am expected to work these hours per WEEK, I would assume that invoicing on a 4-week basis would be the ideal, as it means every invoice will be for the same amount of hours. If I invoiced once per month, it works out as me essentially working for free for several weeks of the year.

However, most of the vendors I have worked with on retainer seem to invoice once per month instead of every 4 weeks.

Would it be better for me to ask for our terms to be switched to monthly hours for a monthly rate, rather than weekly hours for a weekly rate? I will of course ensure whatever we decideon in the final contract.

But any advice is much appreciated!

​

hi everybody! i am just starting to register as a sole trader for freelancing. i have a trial day with a potential company that would want to hire me as a contracted freelancer. they have asked me for my company's address but I don't know what to tell them. i haven't finishing registering for the sole trader on the gov website and in my rental contract it says "Not to receive paying guests or carry on or permit to be carried on any business, trade or profession on or from the Property" . so I guess my question is what do I do now? i want this job so I would like to reply soon/tomorrow morning. i am also on a graduate visa if that's relevant. so sorry if this is a stupid question, I truly have nobody to ask. i will be so thankful and grateful to anybody that helps me out!

Hi all,

I just moved to the UK less than 6 months ago. I am not sure how much is the ongoing rate per hour to charge for a freelance UI design role.

The client also suggested to charge by the page which I don't think it would be fair since some pages are more complicated than the others.

Any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

I'm doing my tax return and I have a doubt.

02/10/2023 to 02/02/2024 I worked for a company in UK as freelancer (first time as self-employed - earnings: £16200), then after 2 months without work I started working remotely for a company in Prague on 03/04/2024. This means that 3rd, 4th and 5th of April count towards the 2023-2024 financial year (total earnings for these three days would be £690). The thing is that I haven't been paid yet and I will only invoice them at the start of May for the month of April. Do I need to include this £690 in my tax return?
And if yes, which one of these types should I choose? https://imgur.com/a/gNKz1O3
I was gonna choose the "Employment, self-employment and other income which you paid foreign tax on", but I wouldn't pay any froreign tax on what I earn. They pay me in euros and I'll pay the taxes here in UK.

I've recently agreed to take on some freelance work and I've been asked to name my hourly rate...

Should I work from the hourly equivalent of the equivalent, target salary?
e.g., Hourly rate = (SALARY / 52) / 37.5

If so, what percentage would I then add to account for annual leave, pension contribution, sick leave, etc., which would all be perks of a permanent position?

Any guidance or insight appreciated.

I am trying to register with HMRC as a sole trader. As I already self assess, I am supposed to add a new sole trader SA to my govt account. However, the only options it comes up with are partnership and trust. So, I have filled in the paper application and need to send by snail mail.

Has anyone had experience of this and has an idea of how long it takes and what happens if they don't accept my company name?

So I've worked on a big job for a UK client, and I was contracted to work on a day rate for £xxx per day. Didn't think much about it at the time, but now that it's time to invoice, I'm unsure - do I invoice for the entire period (minus weekend days), even those days when I was waiting for feedback? Or just the days I actually actively worked on it?

The contract unfortunately only states that I'm being paid a day rate, nothing else.

And I don't want to ask them either, for multiple reasons..

Sorry if it's a dumb question, but I was hoping anyone could help me, thank you.

My idea is opening a sole trader small business in the UK, can I export services and record invoices I've sent as service export?

To all the freelancers and self employed, I'm interested to know what are some of the tasks that you find take the most time out of your day? Or tasks that have to be done, that you really don't enjoy doing?

I’ve been freelance for three months, it was originally supposed to be temporary but I’m really enjoying it!

However, we are looking to move at some point in the next year or so… especially now I’m WFH full time we need slightly more space.

Any insights into the reality of doing this as a self employed Ltd company?

Hello fellow freelancers. I'm considering doing my sole trader self assessment calculation using Chat GPT, has anyone done this yet? I feel like I have a cheap accountant as they made some errors in the calculation last year - which I corrected. Tempted to either do it myself, get a new accountant or save a buck and give AI a go.

The sole trader SA is a pretty straight forward calculation, there are pitfalls and of course better an accountant with experience do it but... I just threw some numbers at chat gpt and it looks spot on. Only thing is AI cant (yet) enter all the data to HMRC for you.

​

Hey guys, apologies if I'm missing something obvious or stupid here but I'm pretty confused and was wondering if somebody could help explain something to me.

I've been freelancing on the side of a full-time job for around four years, and filing a tax return at the end of each year as usual. My full time earnings have crept up in that time, but my freelance earning have been around the £2k mark. I'd file in April, and pay monthly until January - no problem.

Last year, around June, I finished a big freelance project and took payment in full. This meant that my total turnover for last tax year (23-24) was around £7k. I filed over the weekend, and HMRC are asking for ~£2.5k for the 23-24 tax year, PLUS ~£1.8k for the upcoming 24-25 tax year, paid in full by January, with £1.8k again for the 24-25 tax year next July.

Why are they asking me to pay the 24-25 tax year already? I don't think I'll be doing another big project this year, so my taxes should be much much lower for that year, but either way why am I paying tax on money I haven't even earned yet?

I'm a little bit panicked because I can't actually afford to pay that much money, as I use the money I earn freelancing to repay debts (I'm in a lot of debt, I know) and cover bills. It feels a little bit upsetting to have worked such long days and nights, and so many weekends, just to have HMRC turn around and ask for enough money to undo all progress I made on the debt, and then some. I'm just feeling a bit like there's no way out now, and I don't understand how I could have put in that much work, only to be in a worse situation than I was? Is this a normal thing for freelancers? I feel pretty stupid right now 😅

Anyway, hope you're all well! The evenings are getting lighter!

Greetings all!

Quick question, perhaps a stupid one, what's everyone's opinion on the best bank/ account to use as a freelancer / self employed?

Does it matter?
Is there a consensus on the best, or the best "features" to look out for?

Cheers!

Hello everybody, I need your opinions and personal expirience.

I'm currently working on a local service marketplace. During the research I was contacted by a freelance developer who said he had problems with clients refusing to pay unless he did extra work which left him in a situation where he either chooses to loose money or be underpaid to do the extra work. He said that the only alternative of using fiverr was also pretty bad as it was expensive and he had problems with paypal chargebacks.

What are your freelancing expirience?

If there was a fair middleman solution, would you use it?

What are your biggest hurdels when freelancing?

All opinions are welcome

Possessing a strong work ethic honed through my full-time healthcare role, I'm dedicating my free time to mastering the art of web development. Currently diving into Javascript and React and I am already fairly confident with HTML and CSS, I'm eager to leverage my evenings and weekends to gain valuable hands-on experience.

I'm seeking a collaborative opportunity with a freelance web developer, offering my strong work ethic, quick learning ability, and a fresh perspective in exchange for mentorship and practical guidance.

If you're a freelance web developer who enjoys fostering new talent, I'd love to connect! I'm active on LinkedIn and Twitter/X, or you can find my developing portfolio at Github.

I'm preparing to set up as a freelancer and I've been looking with an increasingly furrowed brow through the baffling array of business bank accounts on offer. I was leaning towards Starling (which, confusingly, offers separate Business and Sole Trader accounts and I've yet to work out what the real difference is in practical terms), but I'm hoping to work for clients in Europe. My current employer is based in Germany and they've already said they'll want to send me work on a freelance basis once I've left, so while I'll be looking for clients in the UK as well, I do know that 100% of my clients so far will be paying me in EUR (via PayPal, they say, but I'm hoping I can give them a better option).

For receiving international payments, my research suggests Wise would be a better bet, but I haven't found it recommended anywhere for any purpose other than receiving international payments. Is it still a decent option as a general business account for UK clients as well? Or is there a third option – have the Starling account but use the Wise money transfer service rather than the bank account? I am absolutely clueless when it comes to financial matters so these are probably silly questions, but any help would be greatly appreciated.

Obviously there are bound to be other options (Revolut etc.) but I'm trying to keep it to a 50/50 choice for the sake of my sanity...

I have a couple of long term clients (well over 5 years) who for the past few years I’ve been doing small maintenance tasks for on projects I’ve worked on for them in the past. And maybe 1 new project a year. The small tasks and new project this year totalled 30 hours.

Usually I won’t hear from them for a while and then it’s “I need this doing, can you do it?” - it’s quite relaxed.

However I’m thinking that this isn’t ideal for me?

The client basically always knows that they can use me whenever they need to and the work will be completed to a high standard.

And for this perk it is only costing them £2-3k per year.

My rate with them is £80+vat per hour.

It can literally be (hypothetically):

• them: hi I have some small copy changes to a website

• me a few days later: those are done

• 2 months pass by

• them: hi I need ssl certificate renewing

• me a few days later: that’s done

• 2 months pass by

• them: hi I need a new project

• me/them: discuss project. I’m fast so takes me 30 hours or so

• 2 months pass

• them: hi copy changes

…. Repeat

I’m thinking some sort of retainer should be in place?

e.g. £2500+vat per year for 30 hours work?

This doesn’t really sound appealing to me though?

Maybe £5k per year for 30/hours?

Or £10k I might be happy with. But then I’m not sure the client would be happy paying £10k for 30 hours?

But then again they have access to me on tap so…

For what it’s worth my main income is contracting. This is additional freelance work in spare time.

Has anyone been in a similar situation?

I have been freelance for over a decade. I have a contract with a small company. The boss who is director of the company wants to bring freelance rates in line with salaried rates?

He is fed up of getting “£110” a day whilst several of us get “nearly double”

My freelance rate is £225 a day

He is proposing the rates are £110 per day as that is what “he is paid”

I know for a fact he is on an annual salary of around £38,500 and I can’t work out how has he arrived at £110.

My rate has to take into account paying my own pension, sick pay, holiday pay etc..

Can someone who has had a salaried job before explain the maths to me as to how he has come up with this figure and also does anyone have any advice in how I explain to him that he gets that fee and a huge remuneration package and I have to remunerate myself.

Thanks very much.

I need to invoice an American client in USD. What's the cheapest way to do this?

The Stripe checkout links are nice but they charge 3.25% + 20p, and then an additional 2% to convert currencies. Im surprised the fees are over 5%, is this normal?

I know PayPal are crap so I won't consider them.

Looking at Wise it's 4.14USD per transaction. I assume you then pay a currency conversion fee but that's normally reasonable with them.

Any other contenders worth looking at?

Hi all,

I have client and I manage their online shop for them. So I send off their orders and have all the stock here. I buy all of the packaging and postage and put it on my own interest free credit card, and then I send them two invoices, one for expenses and one for hours worked. I prefer it this way as it is easier to make purchases and I don't need to forward the invoices to them. Aside from having to put the expenses through as my own expenses when it comes to my self assessment, is there any downside to this? E.g. from having my gross profit very different to my net profit

Thanks in advance!

Hello! I singed up a few months ago as a self-employed designer in the UK, as this was my desired career path, but it seems that I ended up earning more money as a decorator & woodworker rather than a designer so I am thinking to change my self-employment job description on HMRC, and register in the woodwork/decoration or construction industry instead of Graphics/Art & Design. I don’t intend to stop designing and creating my projects or taking on commissions, however, there is more money for me in construction right now. Would it be wise or confusing to register with both professions?

In case i register in decoration / construction industry, would it be wise to use my vehicle as a work vehicle and upgrade my insurance to add commuting? My vehicle is not a van, is an MVP vehicle which in this case I will be using for commuting and transporting my materials. I know that probably my insurance will add-up, but I was thinking that in this case I could be using the vehicle expenses such as fuel, insurance & other expenses (if possible) in my tax return.

What are your thoughts on this?

Anyone know any good whatssap groups or communities for freelancers in London? Stuck working just from home at the moment so feeling quite isolated.

Anyone else feeling like this?

I’m a freelance videographer / editor

I started my freelance just this year january 2024 so far I have earned around 1500£ starting january-march.

I've become pretty frustrated by all of the "contract template builder" websites mainly because of idiotic bait-and-switch tactics that offer a free template, but then want money after filling out a lot of information. Some I'm just not confident the contract would stand up any kind of legal test.

Is there a good resource I can use to find an actual legal professional to engage with to get a standard contract written?

I know a Ltd doesn't necessarily "save you tax" and can add complications, but I've set one up because I quickly ate through the £1,000/year side hustle allowance and if I earn more above that I'm going to be in the 40% bracket due to my full-time PAYE job.

I've got some chunky deductions I can offset, but that won't be true forever.

If I do get to a point of reducing my PAYE job to part time or quitting entirely to work freelance, is it going to be better to go completely via the Ltd, or is it barely worth the effort unless I'm likely to sustain a self-employed annual income above £50,270?

Living and working in the UK and getting paid through PAYE. I'm considering taking on a side part-time job that'll be 15 days worth max across 2 months at most from a company in Ireland (ROI). It's completely remote and I'll be doing it here in the UK. Guessing this would be under the freelancing category, I've never setup for that though.. Seems like I'd need to complete a 'self-assessment form'? Was told that because it's all remote and I'm doing it here it's not considered foreign income? Also a bit unclear whether I'd need to do this before or after I've gotten paid. Once you're on the self-assessment then am I obligated to fill this out every year indefinitely if this is going to be the only freelance gig I'll be doing for the foreseeable future? The other bit that's a bit unclear is needing to get a new class 2 NI for this. Is this going to replace my normal NI from now on or is it just for business purposes?

Hi everyone, I'm new to freelance and I just need some advice and guidance. Thanks in advance!
So I already have a company set up doing trading, but I have to close it down, is it okay for me to reuse the company for freelance or do I have to set up a new company for freelance?