INSURENCE AND THE DOLE

[DUCKY]

Hi just joined forum today had a bit of a read and it looks very good Smiley

I do have a few questions so here goes after doing plastering for family and friends for some years I decided last year to take the plunge and get qualified as in City and Guilds which I did at a cost of 2800 quid for a 7 week coarse it was brill loved it so being new to the whole thing of staring to work for myself I have a few questions so here goes

1. with insurance claims is in the norm that the insurance company when your quote has been excepted( Direct Line is the company) pays the customer 1st who then pays me or is that they should pay me directly.

2. at the moment until the work starts coming in which I have started to advertise in my local paper for I`m on job
seekers allowance first time in 22 years I have sighed up for vat ready but have not gone self employed yet just waiting for a job to come in however if I was to do some insurance work and was paid by the company can the
dole find out about it I`m asking this question because I do have a mortgage to pay a wife and to dogs to feed :'(
or should I just take the plunge and hope for the best and go self employed.

Any advice would be great fully received many thanks Ducky

PS sorry I think I posted this twice in the say hello forum

 

[gps]

forget the vat you want to work as a sole trader, unless you expect to earn over 68000 which most spreads do not then sole trader is the way forward, being vat reg is very complex and every penny needs to be accounted for.
with insurance work i have done in the past i have been paid by the customer and then insurance pay them unless it is the insurance company your work for.

 

[routs]

I was asking my accountatnt about being vat registered, he told me if you are you have to charge vat to your customers, which will result in you being expensive & not getting the work, sole trader is definitley the way to go.

 

[DUCKY]

Thanks for all the info about the insurance work sounds like it can be a right pain to do but as they say work is work however at the moment I`m still on the dole first time in 22 years yes that makes me 40 :'( this month but what i`m worried about is that if I do a insurance job just to pay my mortgage which is 600+ per month until the work does really pick up in the mean time can the dole find out from the vat man because Ive already reg with had my vat number back this week I know its a bit of a touchy subject but I would nice if anybody info or tips or anything really again many thanks again you`v all great thanks DUCKY

 

[gps]

with vat every penny that goes in your account and out needs to be accounted forwill the dole find out thats a risk u take so long as u dont pay ni probably not, you will struggle with work as you will be to expensive compared to a sole trader almost 20% more unless your going to do very large projects send the vat number back.

 

[DUCKY]

Hi and thanks thats answered a lot of questions for me sole trading looks like the way to go I`ll send the Vat number back and get it sorted many thanks guys you have all been a great thanks gps and routs and more advice is more that welcome please keep it coming thanks ;D DUCKY

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