Self Employment

If you start working for yourself, you’re classed as a sole trader. This means you’re self-employed – even if you haven’t yet told HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Running a business:

You’re probably self-employed if you:

• run your business for yourself and take responsibility for its success or failure
• have several customers at the same time
• can decide how, where and when you do your work
• can hire other people at your own expense to help you or to do the work for you
• provide the main items of equipment to do your work
• are responsible for finishing any unsatisfactory work in your own time
• charge an agreed fixed price for your work
• sell goods or services to make a profit – including through websites or apps

You can be both employed and self-employed at the same time, for example if you work for an employer during the day and run your own business in the evenings.

Registering as self-employed:

If you’re self-employed, you may need to set up as a sole trader.

Help From Citizens Advice Tax Team:

Citizens Advice IW have a Tax Team who can help self-employed persons with a range of issues, from working tax credit to self-assessments.

For more information or email us at