Help please regarding self employment

Astaroth

Not if he is paid in lieu of notice.... if it is through an agency or such then it can be instant too otherwise I believe the legal minimum is 1 week if not for misconduct.

Vimes

My Son had completed his college / Corgi certification in September of last year. He had been employed with his company for several years whilst he was going through his college / training he needed to for both his City and Guilds level 3 and his Corgi registration, which he got.

On Tuesday afternoon of last week they called him into an office to give him an A4 sized letter which simply stated that they will not be renewing his contract of employment.

When he was successful in September of last year in passing all of his courses he was given a six months contract, they called it a 'Fixed Term Contract'

He has not been paid in lieu of any notice, the notice given , as I mentioned was from Tuesday afternoon to Friday.

This is the company he worked for.....

http://www.newcharter.co.uk/

EDIT: They, the company, did say to my Son that there was not enough work to justify a new contract but also noted that they would still be employing new students, as he was until he qualified.


EDIT 2: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=441843&in_page_id=1770

A phrase book indeed is on the cards

Savvy_Sue

Would it be VERY cynical of me to ask if that company was paying him less as a student because he wasn't, until recently, fully qualified?

Going self-employed is a bold step, but plenty of people do it and never regret it. If his trade is in demand - and goodness knows a RELIABLE plumber and gas fitter is invaluable! - then he should be able to keep himself busy.

And I would just add to the excellent advice you've already been given that in the early days, RELIABILITY will be key. If he agrees to go and give someone an estimate, he needs to turn up when he says. He then needs to submit his estimate in a timely fashion, neatly presented. And then when he gets the job, he needs to turn up when he says, ready to start the job.

Any tradesman who can do that is forever welcome in my house! Regrettably, there seem to be very few of them about!

Oh, remember that his £500 fee for his CORGI registration can be offset against his future tax liability - can't it chaps?

Also I've just been talking to the tax man on behalf of my son, checking what he should do if does a little bit of work on a s/e basis, and was told that if he could wait until the end of the current tax year (which is only 3 weeks away!) before starting his self-employment then his tax affairs would be marginally simpler.

Vimes

Sadly it wouldn't be cynical at all, but that is what happens sometimes and so it is a matter of dealing with it and turning it into something positive.

Thanks for the advice that you have given, I wasn't aware of the possibility of the registration fee being offset against future tax liability.

fingers crossed that all goes well

Savvy_Sue

Vimes wrote: »

Thanks for the advice that you have given, I wasn't aware of the possibility of the registration fee being offset against future tax liability.

Well, I can't be certain of that, but to me it seems like a legitimate business expense - your son can't ply his trade without that certificate. I would have thought that BusinessLink would be able to advise on this, and CERTAINLY an accountant would! Getting in touch with a few local accountants wouldn't be premature, running a successful business definitely requires attention to keeping the books!

richt71

Vimes wrote: »

Ssdly it wouldn't be cynical at all, but that is what happens sometimes and so it is a matter of dealing with it and turning it into something positive.

Thanks for the advice that you have given, I wasn't aware of the possibility of the registration fee being offset against future tax liability.

fingers crossed that all goes well

I agree with Savvy Sue in I can't see whay your son can't put it down as a legitimate business expense. Business link and an accountant will confirm I'm sure. Always best claiming for all legitimate expenses as possible.