QuickBooks Self-Employed UK 2026: It No Longer Exists
QuickBooks UK review for sole traders: Sole Trader Plus vs Simple Start, MTD readiness, and whether it beats free alternatives like Zoho Books.
Founder and Editor
Syed Esrak Ahmmed
Syed Esrak Ahmmed started The Paid Hour in August 2026 and writes every guide on it. He works in web design, SEO and digital operations, and built the site after finding that most UK freelancing advice either stops at the obvious or quietly sells something. He is based in Cambridge, England.
Not an accountant and not a tax adviser. Every figure on this site is checked against HMRC's published guidance or a provider's own documentation, and carries the date it was last verified.
Elsewhere: LinkedIn/ Personal site/ YouTube
Guides written by Syed
GoSimpleTax Review 2026: Worth It vs the Free HMRC Portal?
GoSimpleTax lets sole traders file Self Assessment straight to HMRC without the gov.uk portal. The current price, and what it actually does.
Tide Business Account Review 2026: Fees & Features
Tide business account review for UK sole traders and freelancers — real 2026 pricing, fees, FSCS protection, invoicing limits and who it actually suits.
What Is the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS)?
A subcontractor gets paid 20% less than the invoice they sent. Nobody stole anything — that is the Construction Industry Scheme working as designed.
Crunch Review 2026: An Accountant Built Into the Software
Crunch review: ACCA-regulated accountants bundled with the software from £27 + VAT a month, priced by quote. What that buys, and when software alone wins.
Countingup Review 2026: Banking and Books in One
Countingup combines a UK business account with built-in bookkeeping and real-time tax estimates. Current pricing and whether it beats separate tools.
HMRC Recognised MTD Software: The Two Lists
There is not one HMRC recognised MTD software list. There are two, they cover different taxes, and mixing them up is why so many sole traders are unsure.
When To Switch From Sole Trader To Limited Company
The real 2026/27 Corporation Tax and dividend tax numbers behind switching from sole trader to limited company — with a worked example, not a rule of thumb.
UTR Number Explained: What It Is and How to Get One
Your UTR number arrives around 15 days after registering for Self Assessment. Where to find it, how to recover it — and the 30% CIS rate without one.
Sole Trader vs Freelancer vs Contractor: The Difference
Freelancer and contractor aren’t legal terms — sole trader is. Here’s how gov.uk’s real categories map onto the job titles people actually use.
VAT Flat Rate Scheme: Rates and the 16.5% Trap
The VAT Flat Rate Scheme sounds simpler than standard VAT — but the 16.5% limited cost trader rate catches many freelancers out. Here’s how it works.
Sole Trader Business Name Rules: What’s Allowed
Sole trader business name rules: the four things it can’t be, the £205 trade mark route, and why your real name stays on every invoice.