Free Guide

    The Ultimate Guide to Starting a Trade Business in the UK

    Everything you need to go from qualified tradesperson to successful business owner. From legal setup to your first £10k in revenue.

    Table of Contents

    1. 1. Legal Structure & Registration
    2. 2. Insurance You Actually Need
    3. 3. Tax, VAT & CIS Explained
    4. 4. Branding & Website That Converts
    5. 5. Your First 50 Customers
    6. 6. Scaling: From One-Man-Band to Team

    1. Legal Structure & Registration

    Most tradesmen start as a Sole Trader. It is simplest, cheapest, and you keep all the profit after tax.

    How to Register

    1. 1. Go to gov.uk/set-up-sole-trader
    2. 2. Register for Self Assessment (you will file a tax return annually)
    3. 3. Get a National Insurance Number (if you do not already have one)

    2. Insurance You Actually Need

    Working without insurance is a risk you cannot take. At minimum, you need:

    Public Liability

    Covers injury or damage to client property. Most agents require £2M minimum.

    Professional Indemnity

    Covers mistakes in your work. Essential for design/consultancy work.

    Employers Liability

    Required if you employ anyone. £5M cover is standard.

    Tools Cover

    Covers theft of tools from van. Often added to van insurance.

    3. Tax, VAT & CIS Explained

    Key Thresholds

    • VAT: Register when you hit £85,000 turnover (voluntary registration possible)
    • CIS: If you work for main contractors, 20% tax is deducted at source
    • Allowable Expenses: Van, tools, phone, insurance, training, website costs

    4. Branding & Website

    Customers search online first. You need a professional presence.

    • • A clean, mobile-friendly website showing your services
    • • Google Business Profile (essential for local search)
    • • Consistency across social media
    • • Professional van signage

    5. Your First 50 Customers

    Fastest Path to Customers

    1. 1. Checkatrade/Trustatrader membership - Leads come to you
    2. 2. Local Facebook groups - Introduce yourself, help people
    3. 3. Google Business Profile - Show up in local searches
    4. 4. Ask for referrals - Every happy customer knows someone

    6. Scaling: From One-Man-Band to Team

    When you have more work than you can handle, you are ready to scale. But do not rush this.

    Ready to Automate Your Trade Business?

    Let us help you build the systems that turn inquiries into revenue.

    See How We Can Help