Tradespeople work hard and often do their own books in the evenings, which usually means missed expenses and last minute returns. You should not be losing money to tax simply because no one set it up properly.
We work with trades across the UK, claiming everything you are entitled to, handling CIS where it applies and keeping your return quick and accurate.
The tax challenges tradespeople face
- Claiming tools, equipment, van costs and travel correctly
- CIS deductions if you work in construction
- Knowing when to register for VAT as you take on bigger jobs
- Keeping receipts and mileage across many jobs
- Deciding between sole trader and limited company as you grow
What we help with
- Self Assessment prepared and filed
- A full review of tools, van, travel and other costs
- CIS refunds and returns where they apply
- VAT advice and returns as you grow
- Simple record keeping that fits a busy week
- Advice on sole trader versus company
Common mistakes to avoid
Useful tax tips
- Keep a single folder or app for receipts, tools and mileage
- Larger tools and equipment may qualify for capital allowances
- Watch your turnover so VAT registration is a choice, not a shock
- Review company versus sole trader once your profit is steady
An electrician who stopped overpaying
An electrician had filed simple returns for years with only a few fuel receipts. By reviewing tools, the van, travel, insurance and protective gear, we found far more allowable cost than they had been claiming, reducing the taxable profit within the rules and setting up easy records going forward.
Fixed fees from £19.99 a month for sole trader tradespeople, and from £30 a month for limited companies. Your exact quote is agreed up front, and takes about 2 minutes to get.
The subbie who stopped lending HMRC money
An electrician working under CIS had never claimed properly. His contractor deducted 20% of labour all year while his van, fuel, tools, testing kit and insurance sat unclaimed in a drawer of receipts. His first return with us included the lot, produced a 4 figure refund and set up a system where receipts are photographed the day they happen. The following year his refund arrived weeks after the tax year ended rather than never. Nothing about his work changed. The only difference was that the records finally matched the reality of what the job costs him.
Your first month with us
- Week 1: app set up on your phone so receipts and invoices are captured on site, not lost in the van
- Week 2: CIS position checked, including whether deductions from every contractor this year appear on statements
- Week 3: van and mileage question settled on your real numbers, so future claims sit on the better method
- Week 4: a short call on where you stand for the year so the tax bill or refund is a number, not a guess
Built around how trades actually work
A plumber, electrician or builder does not have time to do bookkeeping at 9pm after a full day on the tools. So we built the service around photographing receipts, forwarding invoices, and letting us handle the rest. Materials, van costs, tools, subcontractors and CIS all end up where they should, and you see what you actually made on the month.
- CIS handled both ways: deductions suffered as a subcontractor reclaimed, and deductions you must make when you use subbies filed on time
- The domestic reverse charge on construction VAT applied correctly, which catches out a lot of VAT registered trades
- Van, fuel, tools, workwear and insurance claimed properly, with the mileage versus actual cost decision made on your real numbers
- Quotes versus final job profitability, so you can see which types of work pay and which quietly do not
- Payroll and pension duties if you take on your first employee or apprentice
Sole trader or limited company for a trade business
Most trades start as sole traders and there is nothing wrong with that. The switch to a limited company starts to make sense when profits climb, when you want to protect your personal position on bigger contracts, or when main contractors prefer dealing with a company. The right answer depends on your profit level, your plans for the van and equipment, and how much you draw to live on. We run the numbers both ways before you decide, and if incorporation is right we handle the whole move including CIS re registration, which trips people up when they do it alone.