I have just registered and am trying to find my way around your site. I have read many threads and have found it very interesting and helpful! I have bit and bobbed for the last four years, since leaving my permanent post with the civil service (18 years) and have now decided book keeping may be for me. I did an RSA course many many years ago and did nothing with it. Have just sent for a pack to do a refresher course with open learning on book keeping and am now going to make my plan to work as a self employed book keeper whilst refreshing myself. Other than marketing myself in which I am going to approach local accountants first, I had thought about a web page etc but that may take some time because I intend to go to college to find out how to do this unless somebody knows somebody that does it cheap enough! Advertising locally and cheaply is also on my agenda. I think that is the easy bit - can anybody pass on any information that I might need to know about, compulsory insurance, registering with a body of some sort etc. Any help will be much appreicated. Thanks
It's advisable to obtain some Professional Indemnity Insurance which protects you against compensation sought by a client if you have made mistakes or are found to have been negligent in some way. Fortunately it's relatively cheap for self-employed book-keepers to obtain cover. Go to Google and search for PI Insurance. There are a few providers who will give you a quote over the internet which will give you an idea of the likely cost.
You also need to ensure you comply with the new money laundering regulations which came into force in December 07. If you are not a member of one of the approved authorities e.g. the Institute of Certified Book-keepers or the Association of Accounting Technicians, you will need to register with the HMRC by the 1st April 2008. All applications for HMRC to be a supervisory authority must have been received by 1st July 2008. Further information can be obtained from the HMRC website at www.hmrc.gov.uk.
