One Scottish detail that matters
Scotland sets its own income tax bands, and they differ from the rest of the UK — a starter rate, an intermediate rate and, at the top end, higher headline rates than England. That changes the take-home maths for sole traders, the self-employed and salaried directors here in a way a generalist elsewhere can miss. National Insurance and corporation tax stay UK-wide. Our free calculators apply the Scottish bands so you see a realistic number, and we plan around them as standard.
Built for Edinburgh's businesses
Edinburgh has real strength in fintech, tourism and university spinouts, and creators and online business owners here don't need a generalist down the road — they need specialists who answer quickly and price fairly. Because we work online, you get exactly that, plus a nudge towards the right local support: Business Gateway is a good first stop for grants and advice, and our Swoop-powered funding portal searches 1,000+ lenders and grant schemes on top.
How does live and festival income work for Edinburgh creators?
Live work — festival appearances, ticketed shows, paid panels — is trading income alongside your platform earnings, and it concentrates into a short window. That matters twice over: the £90,000 VAT registration threshold is a rolling twelve-month test, so a heavy season can trigger registration in an unexpected month, and payments on account fall due in January and July regardless of when the income actually arrived. Scottish income tax rates apply to your earnings while dividends, National Insurance and corporation tax stay UK-wide. Travel, accommodation and crew costs incurred wholly for the work are deductible, with the usual evidence expectations.
