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Self employed single mother of two.

So I've recently been offered a job as self employed for a company. £9 and hour. I'm a single mum of two kids 5 and 8months. I'll be working 10am-3pm 5 x a week and youngest will be looked after by family members. It won't be a massive income but I'm just ready to get back into the business sector again and this opportunity seems to suit at the moment. Where's best to go for advice about being self.employed? I'm aware there's no holidays or sick pay etc, I'm just after advice regarding how it'll affect the benefits entitlement.

Comments

  • pleasedelete
    pleasedelete Posts: 2,291 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    That doesn't sound like being self employed. That sounds like having a job.
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  • That doesn't sound like being self employed. That sounds like having a job.

    Really? £9 ph, odd hours, no sick or holiday pay reeks of SE.
  • missbiggles1
    missbiggles1 Posts: 17,481 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Really? £9 ph, odd hours, no sick or holiday pay reeks of SE.

    10-3 x 5 days a week is regular hours, nothing odd about them.
  • 10-3 x 5 days a week is regular hours, nothing odd about them.

    Nope.

    9 - 5 / 5 30 is regular hours.
  • marcarm
    marcarm Posts: 1,211 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Regular as in the same each week, not regular as in everyone else does it. 9-5 is business hours.

    That does seem like employment and not self-employment. Can the OP pick and choose which hours she does, and set her own rate? As well as decide on her own hours?

    This seem more like a way for the company to avoid paying tax and NI.
  • emzky
    emzky Posts: 86 Forumite
    marcarm wrote: »
    Regular as in the same
    each week, not regular as in everyone else does it. 9-5 is business hours.

    That does seem like employment and not self-employment. Can the OP pick and choose which hours she does, and set her own rate? As well as decide on her own hours?

    This seem more like a way for the company to avoid paying tax and NI.

    Apologies for the confusion folks. I didn't quite make myself clear. I can indeed pick and choose my own hours. It is self employment. I've chosen 10-3 as I'd need to be able to take and collect my daughter from school.

    The question here isn't with regards to whether this job is self employed or not. Its with regards to gaining some information and insightful knowledge from someone who is self employed. (Preferably another single parent)
  • CakeCrusader
    CakeCrusader Posts: 1,118 Forumite
    I'm a single parent and I had a job similar to this, where they claimed that I was a 'self employed freelancer'. I wasn't. The difference here is that you can choose when you work, but I'd still be careful. Have a think about how much control they have over you. Even so, £9.00 an hour is really low considering you'd have to pay your own tax, national insurance, holiday pay, sick pay, pension and buy the items that you need to do the work. You can deduct certain work related expenses from your tax, but you have to earn the money first.

    Benefit entitlement wise, you'd have to register with HMRC as self employed and they will give you a tax number. You call the working tax helpline and update your details. You tell them that you're self employed and what your turnover will be. They are changing the rules though, and they will expect you to earn the equivalent of minimum wage after your expenses have been deducted or you'll run into problems, so you need to sit down and work out if £9 an hour (less expenses) is economically viable. Housing and council tax benefit will depend on your income from the self employment and the tax credits.
  • Darksparkle
    Darksparkle Posts: 5,465 Forumite
    emzky wrote: »
    So I've recently been offered a job as self employed for a company. £9 and hour. I'm a single mum of two kids 5 and 8months. I'll be working 10am-3pm 5 x a week and youngest will be looked after by family members. It won't be a massive income but I'm just ready to get back into the business sector again and this opportunity seems to suit at the moment. Where's best to go for advice about being self.employed? I'm aware there's no holidays or sick pay etc, I'm just after advice regarding how it'll affect the benefits entitlement.

    What benefits do you get?
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