Guide to freelancing/setting up as consultant?

[wibbleweed]

Hi there - I've recently started as a freelance (ecological) consultant, and am trying to find a useful guide/book that will help me get started, particularly with regards to tax, NI, insurance needs, what expenses I can claim etc.

All the books I've found tend to be aimed at newly self employed in the small business sense and major on business plans/suppliers/selling a product rather than being aimed at a one man band freelance...

If anyone has come across anything useful, do please let me know - thanks J xxx

Dear Wibble,

Welcome to the world of self-employment.

When I set up four years ago, I was sent a book called "cutting through the red tape: the right way to start your business" by the Inland Revenue. A search around the government "directgov" site may reveal some similar goodies.....

I found www.businesslink.gov.uk to be pretty good when I set up last year.

You can get oyur own stationary on Vistaprint.com they do free business cards. Start saving all your receipts as al of of it is tax deductable. I have been working on my own for a year. Yoiu really need to keep focus as there are loads of ups and downs! Good luck!

why buy a book when you've got mn? although I've yet to do my first tax return I found the transition pretty easy: key rules - phone up the tax office and register as s-e. keep a spreadsheet with your expenses. I'm going to find you a link to a couple of helpful threads.

if you're using your existing contacts and provide a simple research-type service then it's pretty straight forward.

here

and here