For Freelancers & Self-Employed
Protect your intellectual property, enforce contracts, understand your employment status and rights as a self-employed worker.
Common Problems
Your Rights
Key Legal Topics
Employment Law
Rights and obligations of employers and employees, including dismissal, discrimination, pay, and TUPE.
Commercial Law
The legal framework governing commercial transactions — the sale of goods, agency relationships, exclusion clauses, and international trade.
Tax Law
Income tax, VAT, capital gains, corporation tax, HMRC powers, and the distinction between tax avoidance and evasion.
Intellectual Property Law
Patents, trademarks, copyright, design rights, passing off, and IP enforcement.
Contract Law
Formation, terms, breach, and remedies in agreements enforceable by law.
Useful Guides
Understanding Your Rights on a Zero Hours Contract
What rights zero hours workers have in England and Wales, including National Minimum Wage, holiday pay, and protection from detriment for refusing work.
Dealing with Debt (County Court Judgments)
What happens when a creditor takes you to court for debt, and your options for dealing with a CCJ.
Whistleblowing at Work
How to make a protected disclosure about wrongdoing at work and your legal protections.
Starting Arbitration or Mediation
How to resolve disputes through arbitration or mediation without going to court.
Letter Templates
Letter Before Action — Debt Recovery
Pre-action letter formally demanding payment of a debt within 14 days, complying with the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims.
Without Prejudice Settlement Offer (Employment)
Without prejudice letter offering to settle an employment dispute on agreed financial and non-financial terms, protected under section 111A of the Employment Rights Act 1996.
Legal Tools & Calculators
Small Claims Track Checker
Find out which court track your civil claim is likely to be allocated to — small claims, fast track, or multi-track — based on your claim type and value.
Court Fee Calculator
Instantly calculate the civil court issue fee for money claims in England & Wales based on the current fee scale, plus hearing fees and remission information.
Limitation Period Calculator
Calculate the deadline for bringing a civil claim in England & Wales. Covers personal injury, contract, negligence, judicial review, defamation, land, and more.
Common Scenarios
My Employer Keeps Cancelling My Shifts at Short Notice
You are on a zero hours contract and your employer repeatedly cancels or reduces shifts at the last minute, often with no compensation. You want to know your legal position.
What Happens If You Win a Small Claim but the Defendant Doesn't Pay?
Winning a small claims judgment is only the first step. If the defendant doesn't pay, you need to enforce the judgment — a separate legal process with several options.
My Employer Is Not Paying the National Minimum Wage
Your employer is paying you less than the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage. This is unlawful and you can recover back pay through HMRC, the Employment Tribunal, or by making a civil claim.
When to Get Legal Advice
If a client disputes your fee or ownership of work product, a solicitor can advise on the strength of your contract claim or intellectual property rights. Freelancers who believe they have been unlawfully treated as self-employed when they are actually workers or employees should seek advice promptly, as time limits apply. The IPSE (Association of Independent Professionals) and Citizens Advice can provide initial guidance.