If you're studying a creative subject—such as design, media, fine art, writing, music, or performance—self-employment is often a natural and fulfilling career route. Many creative professionals work as freelancers, run their own studios or practices, or set up businesses to showcase and sell their work. Your creativity, originality, and storytelling abilities are powerful assets in the entrepreneurial world, helping you stand out, connect with audiences, and build a personal brand. Whether you’re developing your own portfolio, curating exhibitions, publishing work, or collaborating across disciplines, there are endless possibilities to shape a career that reflects your vision.
There’s truly no such thing as a silly question when it comes to Enterprise and Employability! Click Self Employment - FAQs to read our most frequently asked questions, including Do I need a business idea before speaking to the Enterprise Advisor? and How do I register my business, manage finances and tax, and make sure I'm legally covered as a small business?
Self-employment could be a good fit if you’re independent, self-motivated, adaptable, and excited by the idea of being your own boss. It helps to be comfortable with uncertainty and willing to take initiative. You don’t need all the answers to start - many people learn by doing, which makes university a great time to explore this avenue! Try small projects or tutoring to test the waters and speak to the careers or enterprise team to explore whether it suits your goals and strengths.
This introduction to self-employment outlines the main legal structures your venture could take, from freelancing to forming a company, and explains the responsibilities, benefits, and challenges of each. Understanding these options helps you choose the structure that best fits your technical project or service, while giving you practical planning tools to turn your idea into a viable business.
HERE ARE SOME GREAT RESOURCES TO GET YOU STARTED
Information about self-employment can be found on the UK Government website . Guidance for setting up and growing your small business is also available here.
Startups is a valuable resource for general business information. It offers clear guidance on starting, funding, running, and growing small businesses. The website also features success stories to inspire aspiring entrepreneurs.
The Federation of Small Businesses provides a wide range of information and advice, plus the opportunity to learn new skills, network with hundreds of UK-wide events designed for small business owners and the self-employed.
POPULAR BUSINESS STRUCTURES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING
Sole Traders
A sole trader, also known as a sole proprietorship, is the most straightforward business structure to establish and manage. This model treats the business and the owner as a single legal entity. As a result, the sole trader is entitled to keep all profits after tax but is also personally responsible for any debts and obligations the business incurs.
You can start trading straight away without registering with HMRC. However, you must register for Self-Assessment if you earn more than £1000 in a tax year. Click here to learn more.
Limited Companies
A limited company is legally separate from its owners and is run by one or more directors. As the name suggests, this business structure provides its owners with limited liability, meaning their personal assets are protected from business debts. Limited companies are more complex and costly to set up and run, with greater regulatory and reporting requirements compared to sole proprietorships.
Companies House is the UK's registrar of companies. It is responsible for incorporating, maintaining, and dissolving limited companies and for making company information public.
Social Enterprise
Social enterprises are businesses that aim to make a positive social or environmental impact while operating commercially. They reinvest the majority of their profits into their mission rather than distributing them to shareholders. Growing in popularity and playing a significant role in the UK economy, Social Enterprise UK states there are currently over 131,000 social enterprises in the UK, with a collective turnover of £78 billion and a workforce of 2.3 million, operating in all sectors of the economy.
Community Interest Companies (CICs)
A CIC is a type of business which exists to benefit the community rather than private shareholders. CICs are regulated by the CIC Regulator and must meet and adhere to strict criteria and requirements, including a “community interest statement" outlining their social objectives and an "asset lock" which prevents assets from being used for private profit.
Business Partnerships
In a partnership, you and your partner (or partners) share responsibility for your business. When you set up a business partnership, you need to choose a name, choose a ‘nominated partner’ (who is responsible for managing the partnership’s tax returns and keeping business records) and register with HMRC. Click here for more information.
Franchises
A franchise is a business model where an individual (the franchisee) pays to operate under the brand, products, and systems of an established company (the franchisor). It offers entrepreneurs a way to start a business with the support of a proven model. Franchise fees vary widely, ranging from a few thousand to hundreds of thousands of pounds. The British Franchise Association is a great resource for anyone interested in franchising.
Understanding the legal and financial side of self-employment is just as important as having the technical and creative skills to bring an idea to life. Brilliant innovations can stall without the right structures in place to protect your work, comply with regulations, and manage income effectively. Whether you’re designing software, developing a product, or offering technical and creative services, knowing how to register your business, safeguard your intellectual property, and plan your finances early on can save you costly mistakes later.
The British Business Bank is a great resource, with information on business insurance plus several business planning templates.
The Intellectual Property Office provides help and support so that you can protect your business with regards to areas such as, Trademarks, Patents, Design, IP Crime and Infringement, Copyright and so much more.
The British Library and IP Centre offer free workshops, offer one-to-one IP advice, and provide templates for contracts.
