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Confused and need help

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I am a self employed photographer and started up in jan 2012. Business has been very hit and miss but managed to secure a working relationship with a company who will pass work on to me. For the last 3 months i have been working( advertising and trying to get my business out there) but no paid work :( now i have managed to cut down my outgoings so i can survive on what my family bring in( benefits, working tax etc)

My question?

Since i have had no paid work do i have to inform the tax office and will i get in trouble with working familes tax credits?

I am putting hours in but not getting any work but as i survive on the money i get in am i still able to keep trying to trade or do i have to fold in?

Thanks

Comments

  • Mistral001
    Mistral001 Posts: 5,429 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    edited 4 January 2013 at 5:02PM
    helpmydsa wrote: »
    I am a self employed photographer and started up in jan 2012. Business has been very hit and miss but managed to secure a working relationship with a company who will pass work on to me. For the last 3 months i have been working( advertising and trying to get my business out there) but no paid work :( now i have managed to cut down my outgoings so i can survive on what my family bring in( benefits, working tax etc)

    My question?

    Since i have had no paid work do i have to inform the tax office and will i get in trouble with working familes tax credits?

    I am putting hours in but not getting any work but as i survive on the money i get in am i still able to keep trying to trade or do i have to fold in?

    Thanks

    Maybe this is a question for the benefits forum. It happens sometimes in self-empployment that you work without getting paid for it. I think you need to be working 30 hours a week to get working tax credits, so perhaps you need to make sure that you are putting those hours into your business even though it is not making much money at the minute.
  • Wywth
    Wywth Posts: 5,079 Forumite
    edited 4 January 2013 at 5:08PM
    If you've not secured any paid work for the last 3 months, it sounds like you are un-employed rather than self-employed.

    Maybe look for a job that does actually pay you, and progress photography in your spare time as a hobby until you actually get an order that will pay you.

    You need to investigate why the business that was passing work to you has stopped doing so for the last 3 months. Is it because they have no custom either, or are they passing it to someone else now (and if so why)?

    Being busy is not the secret to success in business; being gainfully busy is ;)
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