Sole Proprietorship Employment Procedures
Since operating as a sole trader requires the least amount of paperwork, many entrepreneurs choose this structure over more formal organisational structures like limited liability companies. Despite the many advantages of conducting business as a limited company, not all sole proprietors are eager to make the transition right away.
The possibility of expanding into hiring employees is often overlooked. To help you expand your business without giving up your status as a sole proprietor, our contractor accounting services are at your disposal.
Keeping My Business as a One-Person Operation: Possible?
This is a typical concern among those who work for themselves, and the good news is that the answer is yes. If you're not quite ready to incorporate your business, you might keep doing business as a sole proprietorship while also expanding to employ other people.
Just because you're a "single trader" and doing business under your own name doesn't mean you have to do everything by yourself.
If you're used to handling your own accounting and have to start thinking about other individuals for the first time, Gorilla Accounting is here to help. We have extensive experience as accountants for sole proprietorships and can help you take your company to the next level.
Whether it's managing your National Insurance payments or providing guidance on when to submit your payroll taxes, we can handle the paperwork for you.Cheap Accountants in London
Staffing Needs
The first rule of hiring employees is that you must act as the tax collector and pay the appropriate amount of income tax and National Insurance contributions on behalf of your workers to the UK's HMRC. This necessitates participation in the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) payroll system, and it applies whether you're a lone proprietor or the CEO of a corporation.
When hiring employees or independent contractors, you must first register as an employer with HMRC. It is not enough to simply own a business; registration is also required for those who have the position of employee. Because it can take up to five days to get your employer's PAYE number after registering, it's important to do so well in advance of your first payday.
However, keep in mind that you can't sign up more than two months in advance.
Advice on Recruiting the Right People
There are a lot of factors to look about before bringing on staff for your one-man show. Make sure they have the proper documentation to work in the UK before proceeding with any other screenings.
For certain professions, such as those dealing with the care of the sick or the elderly, or those dealing with children or the elderly, a DBS check is required. Protect yourself from claims made by employees with employers' liability insurance.
A written statement of employment, or contract, should be provided to employees who will be working for you for more than a month. Make sure that everything about the position, from working conditions to compensation, is spelled out in writing for the sake of clarity on both sides.
Your income is another factor to think about. In what range do you see employee salaries falling? Offering a competitive compensation is essential if you want to fill an open position at your company.
This also includes taking into account the National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage. The National Living Wage is £8.72 per hour for workers aged 25 and up in the upcoming tax year of 2020/21.
In addition, you must enrol your employees in a pension system if:
They take home at least £10,000 per year
They are employed there in the UK
Read this helpful advice we've produced on recruiting your first employee, and feel free to get in contact with us if you have any further questions.
Incorporating a Small Business
Even while it is possible to expand your business by adding employees as a sole trader, you may want to consider switching to a limited liability company instead. When, for instance, your company's revenue has reached a certain threshold, you may want to do this. Changing may reduce your taxable income.
You will have to pay corporate tax, but it will likely be less than you were paying before. The UK tax system has many nuances, but you may get help navigating them.
Gorilla Accounting has been providing contractor accounting services for a long time, and we have plenty of staff members who are ready to assist you. To top it all off, when you become a client of ours, you gain access to your very own team of accountants, and if you get in touch with us before 3pm, we promise to answer any pressing questions you may have that very day.
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