Help!

[dizdesigns]

Hi,

I dont know if this is the right place to post this, but here goes.

I am currently a full time employee for a large zoo. My contract sates that i can not seek paid work out side of my contract with out the directors written permission.

I have been approached by someone who has asked me if i would be interested in maintaing his families exotic animal collection. Which i have jumped at! I have spoken to my managing director and have written permission to maintain the collection, out side of my working hours as long as it does not effect my performance at work. My director knows this will take a few hours a week but does not know how much i will be paid; which is £200 a visit at one visit a week, totaling 10'400 per annum on top of my salary.

At the beginning this sounded great however i'm starting to expect that, initally, there will be a lot of work for me to do with regards to carrying out this second job in the eyes of the law.

For example. My client will be paying me by cheque. This will be sorted out by his 'home secretary' I am unsure what i have to do to make sure i am working legally. Surly if he declares this, if its going through his books, then i will have to declare this extra income. Will i need insurance of some description... will i need to register as an Ltd...? Will this effect my TAX bracket at work. Basically i do not have a clue what i have to do...?

Will what looked like a really easy way of earning an extra 200 quid a week on top of my salaried job (aprox 17'000) will be worth it if i have to pay out a load of insurance, etc, etc.... Any help will be greatly appreciated!

[plymgary]

Hi,

First of all I would contact your local tax office to find out how (or if) it will affect your tax. You can find the details for your tax office on the revenues and customs website.

You won't need to register as a LTD. And, if your total income is under £60k you will not need to register for VAT. Just keep accurate records of the payments you have received from the self-employed employment.

I think contacting your tax office should do it. They will guide you from there.

With regards to insurance, you're actually the employee so it's up to your employer to take out the insurance. I would suggest he looks into some kind of employee liability insurance so you're covered in case something bad happens!!

Hope that helps.

Gary

[bovine]

"With regards to insurance, you're actually the employee so it's up to your employer to take out the insurance."

not necessarily. When my accountant comes to my offices he is not my employee, when my engineers go and do work at customer sites they are not their employees but mine. If i were the op, i would definitely look at some kind of insurance - what would happen if he somehow passed a deadly disease to this exotic collection and they all snuffed it! (unlikely, but plan for the worst).