Your Ultimate Checklist to Becoming Self-Employed in 2025:
Choose the Right Business Structure
Sole trader, limited company, or partnership?
It all depends on your income, goals, and how much admin you’re willing to handle.
✔️ Sole trader = simple, but you're personally liable
✔️ Limited company = better tax efficiency, but more paperwork
✔️ Partnership = great if you’re going into business with someone
📞 Not sure? JSB will help you choose the best structure for YOU.
Register with HMRC (and Companies House if needed)
Sole traders need to register for Self Assessment & National Insurance.
Limited companies must register with Companies House & HMRC for Corporation Tax.
💡 Top tip: Make sure your business name is unique, especially in your sector.
Miss deadlines? Risk fines. We’ll make sure you don’t.
Appoint JSB Accountants
This is the game changer. From day one, we help you:
✔️ Register with HMRC
✔️ Get your books set up
✔️ Stay on top of deadlines
✔️ Avoid penalties
✔️ Understand your taxes
✔️ Use your software properly
✔️ Save time, stress, and money
We don’t just crunch numbers, we partner with you. It’s your business, but our expertise helps it grow.
Use Cloud Accounting Software
We include FreeAgent, Quickbooks or Xero in your monthly support, so you can:
📲 Snap receipts
📊 Create invoices
🏷️ Categorise expenses
💷 Track cashflow in real-time
🧾 Prepare VAT returns (if registered)
You’ll never lose a receipt again.
Understand Your Tax Responsibilities
Here’s the basics you need to know:
✔️ Income Tax: You pay tax on your profits
✔️ National Insurance: Class 2 & 4 (or Class 1 if you’re a limited company director)
✔️ VAT: Register if you earn over £90,000
✔️ Payments on Account: You may pay 2x per year (Jan & July)
With JSB, we’ll help you understand it all — and plan for what you owe, not panic about it later.
Maximise Expenses & Tax Reliefs
The more you claim, the less tax you pay, simple.
We’ll help you claim for:
🏠 Home office costs
🚗 Business mileage
📲 Software subscriptions
🎓 Training & development
🖥️ Laptops, phones, and equipment
💡 Capital allowances
🍽️ Even some client lunches!
Know what’s allowed. Track it right. Claim it properly.
Stay Digital with Making Tax Digital (MTD)
MTD is rolling out in 2026 for sole traders earning £50,000+ (and £30,000+ in 2027).
It means:
✅ Digital record keeping
✅ Quarterly HMRC updates
✅ Submitting via compatible software
If you’re with JSB, you’re already MTD-compliant.
Stay Ahead of Every Deadline
Late returns = stress and fines.
We keep you ahead of every key date:
📅 Self-assessment (31 Jan)
📅 Payments on Account (31 Jan & 31 July)
📅 VAT returns (quarterly)
📅 Corp tax, annual accounts, confirmation statements (if limited)
We file ahead of time, so YOU never need to worry.
Review, Plan & Grow
Self-employment isn’t just about getting by, it’s about building something.
JSB will help you:
✔️ Optimise your tax planning
✔️ Switch structures when the time is right
✔️ Forecast cashflow
✔️ Grow sustainably
✔️ Plan big purchases or investments
✔️ Save for pensions the tax-efficient way
🌟 Ready to Start Your Journey?
📲 DM us to book a free consultation
🔗 Or hit the link in our bio
📥 Save this post so you don’t forget a step
👥 Tag a friend who’s going self-employed in 2025!
At JSB Accountants, we believe self-employment should be exciting, not overwhelming.
We’ll be by your side from setup to success. Let's build your business, together.
You build the dream.
We’ll handle the details.
Team JSB Accountants 💼✨
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As a family-run company, we pride ourselves on providing a bespoke service tailored to your particular needs.
Above all, our objective is to save you time, money and effort in managing your accounts, leaving you free to focus on building your business.
Remember, you’re not alone, we’re always here to help if you have an accounts problem or query.
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