For the self-employed

Start, run and grow a local service business

Practical, UK-specific guides for cleaners, plumbers, electricians, handymen and barbers — going self-employed, pricing your work, finding customers and getting paid.

Barbering business guide

How to become a self-employed barber in the UK

Become a self-employed barber in the UK: chair renting vs mobile vs your own shop, training, council licensing where it applies, insurance and getting clients.

Self-employed cleaner guide

How to become a self-employed cleaner in the UK

Become a self-employed cleaner in the UK: check your status, register with HMRC, keep records, get insured and DBS checked, set prices and find customers.

Electrical business guide

How to become a self-employed electrician in the UK

Become a self-employed electrician in the UK: qualifications, Part P and competent person schemes for notifiable work in England, insurance and finding work.

Plumbing business guide

How to become a self-employed plumber in the UK

Become a self-employed plumber in the UK: qualifications and NVQ routes, Gas Safe registration for gas work, water regulations, insurance and finding work.

Insurance guide

Insurance for cleaners and cleaning businesses

Cleaning business insurance explained: public liability, employers’ liability (a legal must if you employ staff), keys cover, and what to check in a policy.

DBS guide

DBS checks for cleaners

DBS checks for cleaners explained: basic vs standard and enhanced, how a self-employed cleaner applies for a basic check on gov.uk, and why customers ask.

Finding customers

How to get customers without paying for leads

Why pay-per-lead and subscription sites cost tradespeople and cleaners so much, and how to win customers through referrals, reviews and commission-only apps.

Cleaner earnings

How much do self-employed cleaners earn?

What a self-employed cleaner really takes home: worked examples of rates, hours, travel, supplies, fees and tax, plus the things that push your earnings up.

Finding customers

How to get cleaning clients

How to get cleaning clients in the UK: win your first 10 customers, use referrals and local groups, list on Holler for free, and turn one-offs into regulars.

Reviews and reputation

How to get more reviews for your local business

How cleaners and tradespeople get more customer reviews: asking at the right moment, making it easy, replying well, and why reviews from real bookings matter.

Pricing guide

How to price cleaning jobs

How to price cleaning jobs in the UK: hourly vs per-job, deep and end-of-tenancy premiums, minimum charges, travel, supplies and how to raise your prices.

Getting started

How to register as self-employed in the UK

How to register as self-employed with HMRC: when you need to, the 5 October deadline, getting your UTR, Self Assessment and the records you must keep.

Tax guide

Self-employed tax in the UK, explained plainly

Self-employed tax in the UK explained: Income Tax, Class 4 National Insurance, the £1,000 trading allowance, expenses, payments on account and key deadlines.

Earning on the side

Side hustles in the UK: earning with local services

Side hustle ideas in the UK using local services like cleaning and odd jobs: how much time it takes, when you pay tax over £1,000 and how to find customers.

Business structure

Sole trader or limited company: which is right for you?

Sole trader or limited company in the UK? The pros and cons of each for cleaners and tradespeople, what changes with tax and paperwork, and when people switch.

Cleaning business guide

How to start a cleaning business in the UK

Start a cleaning business in the UK: registering as self-employed, insurance, DBS checks, pricing, supplies and finding your first customers — step by step.

Handyman business guide

How to start a handyman business in the UK

Start a handyman business in the UK: what you can and cannot do without trade registration, registering with HMRC, insurance, pricing and finding customers.

End-of-tenancy guide

How to start an end-of-tenancy cleaning business

Add end-of-tenancy cleaning to your business: what the job covers, building a checklist, kit, pricing by property size, and working with letting agents.

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