Advice and guidance
Guides, advice, tips, tools and templates created by experts.
Guides and Advice
At IPSE, we recognise that being self-employed often means having to navigate lots of different websites with no clear source of truth. As the only not-for-profit focused on self-employment in the UK, IPSE provides impartial and relevant advice on the topics that matter to you. Save yourself the time you would otherwise spend perusing the internet for an answer, and rest-assured that you’re receiving expert advice.
Our guides cover everything from setting up a company to ways to win work and, importantly, how to ensure you get paid; packed with real-life case studies from those who have experienced it all first-hand. We are always updating and creating member-only guides to help you flourish in your self-employed career.
Have a look around our IPSE Library and Advice pages to see our guides, templates and reports.
Contract templates
The correct contract is an essential part of every freelancer's toolkit. Not only do they outline the wants, needs and expectations of both you and your client, but they also provide a legal framework within which these will be achieved; and a backup should legal intervention be required. IPSE’s Library and Business Hub host a range of templates for members, so you can save yourself the time, money, and stress of drafting your own contracts.
Business templates
When you already have so many tasks on the go as a freelancer, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel every time you start a project or set up a new system for your business. From invoice templates to Non-Disclosure Agreements, IPSE’s library of templates and Business Hub has you covered, saving you precious time and effort.
Looking for something in particular that would help you streamline your business? Let us know! Based on feedback from our members, we’re constantly creating new resources. For example, you can now find three template letters for chasing late payment in our library, which outline your rights as a freelancer, all thanks to the feedback of IPSE members.
FAQ: I can find templates for free elsewhere online, what makes these different?
Pretty much anyone can create a “template” and upload it online for others to use. All of the templates we offer however, have been created by experts in tax, contract, business, and legal matters. We consistently review them to ensure they are up-to-date with the latest legislation and best-practices, so you know that you’re getting the most accurate information possible.
Plus, experienced contractors will understand the value of an ‘IR35 friendly’ contract. Our most-used template is the Outside IR35 Contractor Agreement, created by leading experts at Markel Tax. Members are also able to make use of our tax, contract and legal helplines, should they have any questions about the templates or their agreements with clients.
“There’s quite a lot of resources, in terms of thinking about how you pitch your work, don’t get paid late or whatever it might be.”
"As an IPSE member I rest easy knowing that support is just a phone call away. It's an essential part of my business set-up!"
“I wish I’d known about IPSE when I first started as a freelancer because it would have really helped me make those difficult decisions.”
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