How much should I charge as a freelancer?

[catcalledginger]

I've been earning £15 per hour as an employee.

Have now gone self employed. How much should I be charging to receive equivalent rate (to cover tax, NI, holidays, sickness, etc.)?

TIA

If your salary was £15 an hour, then your salary was £29250
and allowing for 200 chargeable days a year, your minimum day rate needs to be
£150
BUT
see what others in your field are charging - do NOT undervalue yourself

Thanks Talkin

How did you calculate that salary? I'm not sure I earned as much as that. Was employed through an agency on £15 per hour for a 37 hour week. I did get holiday pay on top of that but it didn't seem a lot and the rules behind it were stupid and complex - something like only able to take holiday after three months and it was payable at 0.6 of rate. For example, if I took 2 days off I would then have to work another three months before I could claim holiday pay again.

£15 x 37.5 hrs/week x 52 wks/year = £29,250 BUT that doesn't take into account the employer's cost of employing you - National insurance etc which is around + 11% plus any costs you are now taking on yourself, like sick days and holidays or electricity if you work from home.

So TalkinPeace is right: at least £150 a day if not more, depending on what the going rate is. As a freelancer I also vary my rate a lot depending on the length of contract/length of notice on either side.

Aha, if you were hired through an agency then they firm did not pay ERS NI or holiday pay BUT it will have been paying around £25 an hour for the pleasure of your company.
Day rate of £200 minimum

PS my rate is upwards of £300 and DH's is more than that and we are outside London ....

Thanks everyone.

I didn't earn £29,250 because I was only paid for the hours I worked so it was more like...

£15 x 37 hrs/week x 45.5 wks/year = £25,252.50

Now thinking I may actually be better off employed...

BUT
if you are charging £175 a day and being very thorough with your expenses
members.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=talkinpeace
(details on there ....)
you only need to work 130 days a year to take home the same money .......

Depends entirely on your field, and what others get paid.

I am currently on a risible day rate, but with a whole chunk of work; if I'm hired to do a short specialist job I charge £350 a day.

Is the £15 an hour gross or net of income tax?

do you know your rate net of tax and NI from your payslip?

OP was working for a temp agency - that will be gross

£15 gross

I'm a PA and that's relatively good for around here. I could earn less and I could potentially earn more. I'm slightly fed up of agencies milking it really. I have a good network and could quite easily pick up more work. I just want to make sure I cover myself in my rate for the insecurity/holiday pay/etc. I also think I'm worth more than £25k!

Go for it.
ALL of my work comes from networks and connections - I do not advertise on principle.
And if you offer your services on a 'days per month' basis they will be banging at your door as you keep tally of how many times they use you - and agree a fee for extras - they need think no further than call when needed ....