The self-employment tax guide I wish existed when I started freelancing in the UK

Going self-employed is straightforward. The tax side is not. Most people figure it out eventually — usually after an unexpected bill or a penalty. Here is the version I wish I had read first. The first thing to do: register with HMRC You must register for Self Assessment if you earn more than £1,000 from self-employment in a tax year. Deadline: 5 October after the end of the tax year. Miss it and you get a late registration penalty. HMRC has been getting stricter about this. Register: gov.uk/log-in-file-self-assessment-tax-return The tax you will pay Income tax — same rates as employment (personal allowance, basic rate, higher rate). The difference: you pay it via Self Assessment, not PAYE. So it arrives in one lump sum. Class 2 NI — flat rate, currently £3.45/week (2025/26). Paid via Self Assessment. Class 4 NI — 9% on profits between £12,570 and £50,270. 2% above that. VAT — only if your turnover exceeds £90,000. Optional below that (usually not worth it early on). The bit that catch