Learn: UK tax explained in plain English

Articles, guides and tools on UK tax for sole traders, freelancers and contractors. Where a figure changes each year, the pages point to GOV.UK rather than quoting it.

VAT

  • VAT return boxes 1 to 9: One page per box, plus the domestic reverse charge.
  • Freelancer VAT guide: How VAT works when you work for yourself.
  • VAT registration guide: When and how to register, and what changes after.
  • VAT registration for sole traders: The registration steps as a sole trader, and choosing a VAT scheme.
  • Flat Rate Scheme vs standard VAT: How the two compare, with worked scenarios and a checklist.
  • File a VAT return without an accountant: Preparing your records and submitting the return yourself.

Making Tax Digital

  • Making Tax Digital for VAT: What MTD for VAT asks of you and your software.
  • Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: Who MTD for Income Tax is for, quarterly updates and exemptions.

Self Assessment

  • Self Assessment topics: Expenses, payments on account, records and more.
  • Complete tax guide: The whole year for a UK sole trader, in one read.
  • Self Assessment deadlines: The dates to put in your diary. Check GOV.UK for your year.
  • Side hustle tax guide: Tax on extra income alongside a job or a business.

Expenses and bookkeeping

  • Sole trader expenses: What you can claim and what you cannot.

Working for yourself

  • UK tax guide for expats: Residence, income tax and National Insurance if you move to or from the UK.

Tools and resources

The hub also lists the Taxmo blog articles, which can be searched and filtered by topic.

  • Tax tools: Take-home and day rate calculators, and the rest of the free tools.
  • PAYE calculator: Gross to net pay for an employee: income tax, National Insurance, student loan and pension.
  • Pension tax relief calculator: What a pension contribution costs after relief, and the annual allowance.
  • Am I trading?: HMRC's badges of trade and the trading allowance, and whether to tell HMRC.
  • Business structure chooser: Sole trader, partnership, limited company or LLP, compared.
  • UK residence test: The Statutory Residence Test: the overseas tests, the UK tests and the ties test.
  • Accounting by trade: Expenses and rules for electricians, builders, cleaners and more.
  • Tax glossary: Plain-English meanings for the terms HMRC uses.
  • UK tax rates: Rates and bands, with where to check the current figures.
  • Video manual: Short walkthroughs and written step-by-step guides for the app.
  • Compare: Taxmo next to other UK bookkeeping software.