News & Advice

How to plan your spending as an actor to ensure you’re saving enough when your income is high and surviving when work is slow. One of the biggest obstacles to self-employed actors getting a grip on their finances is a failure to budget properly for their irregular income. It’s easy to spend freely when earning […]

How to set up a pension as an actor and how much you should aim to save for your retirement. When you’re starting your acting career, retirement is probably at the back of your mind. Finding an agent, preparing for auditions and keeping your Spotlight up-to-date seem more urgent.  Typically, actors are driven by a […]

When actors need to register as sole traders, how they calculate tax and how taking on additional work affects this.  As a self-employed actor, whether you have an agent or not, you’re a freelancer. In most cases, for the purposes of HMRC, your legal status is ‘sole trader’.  These terms might appear daunting at first, […]

How performers can register as self-employed and what is tax deductible as an actor. Being a performer requires a lot of work – you have to learn lines, film self-tapes and go to auditions – all while juggling the rest of your life. Self-employed actors in the UK also manage their financial aspects and are […]

How to organise your finances and budget with ever-changing earnings. Money – or the lack of it – is not the obstacle to your success and goals but sitting blissfully in the ignorance of your financial health may well be. I can tell you from personal experience that by ignoring your finances and giving sole […]

What actors need to know about tax returns, National Insurance, VAT and allowable expenses. Article updated December 2022. As welcome as the onslaught of conversations about kale and dry January, is the fun of the tax return. Here to break it down and make it less daunting, are Chartered Certified Accountants, Breckman & Company, on […]