Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is live from 6 April 2026 for sole traders earning over £50,000. If that’s you and you haven’t acted yet, you’re already behind. If you’re under £50,000, you’ve got until April 2027 or 2028 – but getting set up now means the deadline doesn’t sneak up on you. Here’s…
From April 2026, sole traders earning over £50,000 must use HMRC-compatible software for Making Tax Digital. If you’re below that threshold you’ve got more time – but choosing the right software now means you’re ready when the deadline arrives. This guide covers the four main options specifically for tradespeople. What to Look For as a…
If you’re a self-employed tradesperson and you haven’t heard of Making Tax Digital yet, now is the time to pay attention. From 6 April 2026, HMRC has started rolling out the biggest change to the UK tax system in over 30 years – and if your annual turnover is above £50,000, it already applies to…
Most articles about HR software are written for office-based businesses with dedicated HR managers. This one isn’t. It’s written for trade business owners who’ve taken on a few members of staff and are wondering whether they actually need a proper HR system – or whether a solid employment contract and a bit of common sense…
Fully booked, turning work away, working longer hours than you ever did for someone else, but still feeling like you’re going nowhere? That’s the one-van ceiling. Here’s how UK tradespeople break through it and build a business that generates revenue whether they’re on the tools or not. The One-Man Band Problem Being a sole trader…
Most trade businesses reach a point where one pair of hands isn’t enough. You’ve got more work than you can handle alone, so you bring in another tradesperson to help. It seems straightforward – until HMRC gets involved. Using subcontractors in the UK construction industry comes with a specific set of legal obligations under the…
The first time you run payroll as a tradesperson is one of those moments where you realise just how much admin comes with taking on staff. You’re not just paying someone a wage, you’re calculating tax, deducting National Insurance, submitting reports to HMRC on or before every payday, and handling pension contributions. Get it wrong…
Taking on your first employee is one of the biggest steps you’ll make as a tradesperson – it means more jobs, more revenue, and potentially a lot more stress if you get the process wrong. HMRC, employment law, and payroll obligations all kick in the moment you hire. Here’s exactly what you need to do,…
When you’re starting out as a tradesperson, the last thing you want is to spend hours on admin. The right software fixes that. In 2026, there are tools built specifically for tradespeople that handle quoting, job management, invoicing, accounting, and customer communication – most of them from your phone, most of them affordable, and some…
Going self-employed as a tradesperson is one of the most rewarding decisions you can make – but before you take on your first job, you need to make sure you’re properly registered with HMRC. It’s simpler than most people think, and getting it right from the start saves a lot of hassle further down the…