Freelancing in Fulham
Walk into any café on Fulham Road or North End Road on a weekday and you will see people working on laptops. Many of them are freelancers. Some have left agencies or in house roles in central London. Others freelance alongside a part time job or while raising a family. Work comes from local businesses, London agencies, international clients and online platforms, often all at once.
That freedom comes with responsibility. Nobody takes tax off your invoices, nobody tells you when to pay, and income can rise and fall from month to month. Our ACCA qualified accountants take the tax side off your plate so you can concentrate on the work you are good at.
We work with freelancers who live in Fulham, Parsons Green and West Brompton, and with plenty who have moved further out but still work for London clients. Meetings can happen online, and you can send us your records by email or through your bookkeeping app.
Getting set up with HMRC
When you start freelancing as a sole trader, you need to register for self assessment. The deadline is 5/10 after the end of the tax year in which you started. So if you began in the 2026/27 tax year, you must register by 5/10/2027. Registering late can lead to penalties, especially if it means tax is paid late.
If your total freelance income in a year is £1,000 or less, the trading allowance may mean you do not need to declare it at all. Once you go over that, you can either deduct the allowance or your actual costs, whichever helps you more. Freelancers with a day job need to declare both incomes on one return, and the extra income can affect your tax code too.
What is included
- Registering for self assessment
- Annual self assessment returns
- Expense reviews and home working claims
- Reducing payments on account where right
- Foreign income and overseas client advice
- Reconciling platform income
- Making Tax Digital setup
- Advice on moving to a limited company
Costs freelancers can claim
If you work from your flat in SW6, you can claim a share of household costs, or use HMRC's flat rate for working from home. A laptop, software subscriptions, a share of your phone and broadband, professional memberships, training that keeps your skills current, and travel to client meetings can all count. Coworking membership is allowed if you use the space for work.
Some things are not allowed. Your usual commute, ordinary clothes and most meals do not qualify. Costs with a mix of personal and business use, like your phone, need to be split fairly. We help you keep simple records so the claims hold up if HMRC ever asks.
- Home working costs or the flat rate
- Computer equipment and software
- Phone and broadband business share
- Training, memberships and client travel
Uneven income and payments on account
Freelance income is rarely smooth. A big project in spring can be followed by a quiet summer. Your tax, though, is due on fixed dates: 31/1 for the balance and the first payment on account, and 31/7 for the second payment on account.
Payments on account are advance payments towards next year's bill, based on this year's. If your income falls, you can ask HMRC to reduce them, but only if you are confident the lower figure is right. We help you set aside a fair amount from each invoice, apply to reduce payments when it makes sense, and avoid the last minute scramble before 31/1 that catches so many freelancers out.
Clients abroad and online platforms
Working with clients in the EU, the US or elsewhere is common for London freelancers. Your foreign income is still taxed in the UK if you live here, and you need to convert it into pounds on your return. For VAT, many services supplied to overseas business customers fall outside the scope of UK VAT, but the rules depend on the service and the client, so it is worth getting it checked.
If you sell your work through online platforms, be aware that many platforms now share seller income details with HMRC. That makes it more important than ever that your return matches what the platforms report. We bring all your income sources together and reconcile them before filing.
Sole trader, limited company and Making Tax Digital
Many freelancers stay as sole traders for years, and that is fine. Once profits are steady and fairly high, a limited company can lower your tax and look more established to bigger clients. It also brings company accounts, a director's payroll and stricter rules on taking money out. If your work looks like employment for a single client, IR35 may also need thought.
Making Tax Digital applies to sole traders with qualifying income over £50,000 from 6/4/2026, over £30,000 from 6/4/2027 and over £20,000 from 6/4/2028. You will need software and quarterly updates. We can set you up with an app that works for freelancers before you hit the threshold.
Who this suits
- Freelance designers, writers and marketers in Fulham
- Developers and consultants working for agencies
- Freelancers with a part time or full time job as well
- Freelancers with clients outside the UK
- People earning through online freelance platforms
- New freelancers who have just left employment
Common questions
When do I need to register as self employed?
You must register for self assessment by 5/10 after the end of the tax year in which you started freelancing. If your income is £1,000 or less and covered by the trading allowance, you may not need to register.
Can I freelance while working a full time job?
Yes. Your employer deducts tax from your salary as normal, and you declare your freelance profit on a self assessment return. Check your employment contract allows outside work.
Can I claim working from home as a freelancer?
Yes. You can claim a fair share of household running costs based on how much you use your home for work, or use HMRC's simplified flat rate. We help you work out which gives the better result.
What are payments on account?
They are advance payments towards next year's tax, due on 31/1 and 31/7. Each is usually half of the previous year's bill. If your income drops, you may be able to reduce them.
Do I charge VAT to overseas clients?
Often not, if you supply services to business customers abroad, but it depends on the type of service. You also need to be VAT registered before charging VAT at all. We check how the rules apply to your work.
When should a freelancer become a limited company?
There is no fixed point. It tends to make sense once your profits are steady and you do not need to draw all of them. We compare sole trader and company tax using your own numbers.
Does HMRC know about my income from freelance platforms?
Many digital platforms now report seller income to HMRC each year. That means your return should match what the platform has reported. We help you reconcile it before you file.