For UK tradespeople
Your duties and rights as a tradesperson
7 questions, only what applies to you: what you have to do and by when, and what the law gives you.
Question 1 of 7
Tap an answer and the next question comes up.
What the result covers
- Tax and records
Self Assessment, Making Tax Digital, VAT, company deadlines and how long to keep records.
- CIS
Deductions, verification, monthly and nil returns, gross payment status and the reverse charge.
- Employees
Right to work, Employers’ Liability insurance, pension, minimum wage, holiday and sick pay.
- Customers and contracts
Jobs agreed at a customer’s home, the 14 days to cancel, consumer rights, late payment interest and the Construction Act.
- Gas and electrical
Gas Safe registration and signing off electrical work in homes.
Each point with its deadline where the rule sets one, and a link to the source. Plus three “Did you know?” questions.
Sources
We read every rule on legislation.gov.uk or gov.uk, as in force on 24 October 2026. Amounts, thresholds and deadlines are given exactly as the source states them. We don’t work anything out for you.
- Compliance checks: penalties for failure to notify (CC/FS11) (HM Revenue & Customs)
- Self Assessment tax returns: deadlines (GOV.UK)
- Self Assessment tax returns: penalties (GOV.UK)
- Business records if you're self-employed: how long to keep your records (GOV.UK)
- Taxes Management Act 1970, section 12B (records to be kept) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Running a limited company: company and accounting records (GOV.UK)
- Record keeping for VAT (VAT Notice 700/21) (HM Revenue & Customs)
- Pay your Corporation Tax bill (GOV.UK)
- Company Tax Returns (GOV.UK)
- Prepare annual accounts for a private limited company: penalties for late filing (GOV.UK)
- Promoting electronic invoicing across UK businesses and the public sector: consultation response (HM Revenue & Customs and Department for Business and Trade)
- Find out if and when you need to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (HM Revenue & Customs)
- Work out your qualifying income for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (HM Revenue & Customs)
- Use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: send quarterly updates (HM Revenue & Customs)
- What you must do as a Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) subcontractor (GOV.UK)
- Construction Industry Scheme: a guide for contractors and subcontractors (CIS 340) (HM Revenue & Customs)
- Tackling Construction Industry Scheme fraud (HM Revenue & Customs)
- Register for VAT: when to register for VAT (GOV.UK)
- How VAT works: VAT thresholds (GOV.UK)
- Charge, reclaim and record VAT (Making Tax Digital for VAT) (GOV.UK)
- Check when you must use the VAT domestic reverse charge for building and construction services (HM Revenue & Customs)
- Penalties for employing illegal workers (GOV.UK)
- Employers' liability insurance (GOV.UK)
- Set up and manage a workplace pension scheme: employers and eligible staff (GOV.UK)
- National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates (GOV.UK)
- Holiday entitlement (GOV.UK)
- Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) (GOV.UK)
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 (service to be performed with reasonable care and skill) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 50 (information about the trader or service to be binding) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 55 (right to repeat performance) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 56 (right to price reduction) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 57 (liability that cannot be excluded or restricted) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Limitation Act 1980, section 5 (time limit for actions founded on simple contract) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Rate of Interest) (No. 3) Order 2002, article 4 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, section 5A (compensation arising out of late payment) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Late commercial payments: charging interest and debt recovery (GOV.UK)
- Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, section 106 (contracts with a residential occupier) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, section 108 (right to refer disputes to adjudication) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, section 112 (right to suspend performance for non-payment) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 5 (meaning of off-premises contract) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 6 (contracts wholly or partly excluded) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 7 (application of Part 2) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 10 (information before making an off-premises contract) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 19 (offence: failure to give notice of the right to cancel) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 28 (exceptions from the right to cancel) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 30 (normal cancellation period) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 31 (cancellation period when information is not given) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 36 (supply of a service in the cancellation period) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, regulation 3 (qualification and supervision) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Gas Safe Register (Health and Safety Executive)
- Competent person scheme: current schemes and how schemes are authorised (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government)