Standard. Full detail. Turn on any support you need, they layer together.
Live example: these are the full standard words. Turn on Ease or Soothe, and this line itself becomes simpler.
Your guide to your rights when you work for yourself. Plain words. No jargon.
Your rights when you work for yourself. In plain words.
Your rights. When you work for yourself. Plain words.
Your rights in plain words.
Not sure where to start? Set up your self-employed life in four steps.
Set up in four steps.
Set up in four steps.
Four steps to start.
Someone agreed to pay you for your work? Make the invoice without doing the maths.
Make your invoice. No maths.
Make your invoice. No maths.
Invoices, no maths.
You work for yourself — and you still qualify. Access to Work can pay for DysPhilter as your assistive communication support. It is a grant, not a loan. It does not count as a benefit, and it will not touch your other benefits. No diagnosis or label needed.
You work for yourself — you still qualify. Access to Work can pay for DysPhilter. A grant, not a loan. Not a benefit. No diagnosis needed.
Self-employed? You still qualify. Access to Work can pay for DysPhilter. A grant. Not a loan. No diagnosis needed.
Self-employed? You qualify. Access to Work pays. A grant. No diagnosis.
What Access to Work pays for
The grant pays the full amount. You pay nothing back.
The grant pays the full amount. You pay nothing back.
The grant pays. You pay nothing back.
The grant pays. Nothing back.
Safety: Your workplace must be safe. You have the right to say no to work that is dangerous or can hurt you.
Fair Treatment: People are not allowed to treat you badly because of your age, your access needs, your support needs, or how your brain works. The law protects you.
Privacy: Customers are not allowed to share any of your personal details without your permission.
No Holiday Pay: You do not get paid when you take a day off or go on holiday.
No Sick Pay: You do not get paid if you are sick and cannot work.
Your Prices: You can choose your own prices. You can charge enough money so you can afford to live when you are sick, tired, or resting.
You are the boss of your work. Always write down your agreement in a text or email before you start. Every agreement needs four clear things:
The Work: Exactly what you will make or do.
The Pay: Exactly how much money the customer will pay you.
The Date: Exactly when you will finish the work.
Stopping: How you or the customer can stop the agreement if someone changes their mind.
Note for people under sixteen: If a work agreement is unfair, the law does not force you to follow it.
Fill-in-the-Blanks Work Agreement Template
Agreement between [your name] and [customer name].
The Work: [write exactly what you will make or do]
The Pay: [write the amount of money in words, for example: thirty pounds]
The Date: [write the date you will finish the work]
Payment Window: [write in words how long the customer has to pay]
Late Fee: [write the extra amount in words, for example: ten pounds added if payment is late]
Stopping: Either person can stop this agreement by sending a written message. If the customer stops, they pay for work already done. If you stop, you return any money paid for work not yet done.
Both people agree by sending a written reply to this message.
If a customer refuses to pay or breaks your agreement, they are breaking the law. You did nothing wrong. Follow these steps in order:
Step One — Send a Message: Write a clear message to say the payment is late and ask for your money.
Step Two — Stop Working: Do not do any more work for that customer. You have the right to stop until you are paid in full.
Step Three — Charge Extra: Add an extra fixed amount to the bill for being late. You must write this in your original agreement. Example: "If payment is late, you must pay an extra ten pounds."
Step Four — Get Help: If you are under sixteen, or if you feel too stressed, hand the problem to a parent, guardian, or trusted adult.
Late Payment Text Message
Hi [name]. The payment date for my work has passed. You have not paid the agreed money. Please send the full payment to my bank account today. Thank you.
Late Fee Message Template
Hi [name]. I am contacting you about my business payment. The agreed date for payment has now passed, and the money is not in my account. My business rules and our written agreement state that a late fee is added when a payment is past the date. I am applying this rule now to protect my work. I have added the agreed late fee to the bill. The new full amount for my work is [amount in words]. Please send this payment to my bank account. I am stopping all work on this project until this payment safely clears into my account.
Trusted Adult Message Template (Parent or Guardian Taking Over)
Hi [name]. I am [trusted adult name], writing on behalf of [young person name] regarding our business agreement. I am the parent, guardian, or trusted adult and I am now managing this dispute.
Notice of breach of contract: The agreed payment for the work has not been received. A late fee has been added to the bill as stated in our written agreement.
You have seven days to send the full payment. If the money is not received within seven days, I will take this matter to the Small Claims Court.
Please send all replies to me, not to [young person name]. Thank you.
Save Receipts: Take a quick photo of everything you buy for your work. This is your proof.
Save Your Money: Every time a customer pays you, split your money into three even piles. A calculator or a trusted person could help. Put one pile into your savings pot and do not spend it. This money pays the government later.
Register: Tell the government tax office you are earning your own money.
Keep Proof: Only talk to customers through text, email, or written messages. If you talk on the phone, send a text after saying "This is what we just agreed on over the phone."
Hold the Work: Do not send the final product to the customer until their payment is safely in your bank account.
Insurance: Pay for business insurance. This protects your money if you accidentally break a customer's item or if someone gets hurt.
A Tool That Serves Your Independence: A safe, neutral government service. Nothing to do with the police. Nobody goes to prison. It supports your right to be treated fairly.
You Remain in Complete Control: It is entirely your own choice. The customer made a choice to break a written agreement. You have done nothing wrong.
Getting Set Up with Support: A parent, guardian, or trusted adult can do the computer work for you. They fill out a form on the official website using your saved messages.
The Court Takes Over Communication: The court sends an official letter to the customer. The customer is told they must pay or explain to the court. This removes the need for stressful conversations.
Most Problems Are Sorted Quickly: The customer is given fourteen days to reply. Most customers pay immediately because they realise the law supports your business rules.
A Fair and Peaceful Decision: If the customer still refuses, a neutral judge looks at your written proof. Just your saved messages. No complicated spoken arguments.
A Final Order to Protect You: The judge makes a final legal order. The law steps in to make sure the customer pays every pound owed. If the customer ignores the judge, the court sends official workers to collect your money.
Five boxes. Save a screenshot for each one.
The Original Agreement Box: Screenshot of your first messages agreeing on the rules. Must show The Work, The Pay, The Date, and the Late Fee.
The Delivery Proof Box: Screenshot of the message where you sent the finished work. Proof you did your part on time.
The Late Reminder Box: Screenshot of the polite text you sent after the payment date passed. Proves you gave a fair chance to pay.
The Late Fee Notice Box: Screenshot of the message adding the late fee. Shows the judge you followed your own business rules.
The Customer Reply Box: Screenshots of any messages the customer sent back. Even excuses or promises to pay later. The judge needs to read exactly what the customer said.
The Price Choice Box: You have chosen your own prices. Your price is high enough to afford food and home when you take days off or are sick.
The Writing Your Messages Box: You have told your customer how your brain works and what you need to work safely. All business conversations happen through written texts or emails for clear proof.
The Four Rule Agreement Box: You have written down a clear message covering The Work, The Pay, The Date, and Stopping. The customer has replied in writing to agree.
The Savings Pot Setup Box: You have set up a separate money pot. You split every payment into three even piles. You move one pile to savings. You do not spend it. This stops money worries and tax stress.
The Protecting Your Tools Box: You have purchased business worker insurance. Your money is safe if an item breaks or someone gets hurt.
Understanding Your Choice: You are the boss. You have the right to say no. Saying no is a professional business choice.
Three messages you can copy:
If the pay is too low
Hi [name]. Thank you for asking me to do this work. I have looked at your request, but the pay does not match my business rates. I cannot take on this project. I wish you the best with your work.
If the timeline is too short
Hi [name]. Thank you for reaching out. The date you have requested does not match my current schedule. To make sure my work stays at a high quality and to protect my well-being, I cannot accept this job.
If the work does not feel right
Hi [name]. Thank you for your message. I have reviewed the details. This specific work is not a good fit for my business, so I am choosing to pass on this opportunity.
Why You Need a Pot: When a customer pays you, that money does not all belong to you. Some belongs to the government tax office. Separate your tax money from your spending money immediately.
Choosing Your Savings Method: Open a separate bank account named "tax account", or create a dedicated digital money pot within your current account.
The One-Third Rule: Every time a customer pays you, divide the money into three equal parts. Take one third and move it to your savings pot. Do not touch it. Do not spend it on tools or personal items. This money stays safe until it is time to pay the government.
What Is an Extra Change: If a customer asks for new features, extra designs, or more tasks not in your original agreement, they are asking for extra work.
You Have the Right to Adjust the Pay: You do not have to do extra work for free. Extra work requires extra pay and extra time. You are in complete control.
The Actions: First, tell the customer the request is new. Second, tell them the new price using plain words. Third, write down the new agreement in a text or email before doing the extra work.
Extra Changes Message Template
Hi [name]. I have received your request for the extra changes to our project. Because these tasks were not part of our original agreement under The Work, this counts as a new project addition. I can gladly do this extra work for you. My price for these additions will be an extra [amount in words], and it will change our finished date to [new date]. Please reply to confirm if you agree to this new price and timeline so I can update our written agreement. Thank you.
Self-Employed: You are your own boss. You do not work for a company that gives you a regular paycheck. You get paid by different customers for doing separate pieces of work you choose to take on.
Breach of Contract: When a person breaks a written agreement. If you finish work on time but the customer refuses to pay, the customer has committed a breach of contract.
Late Fee: An extra, fixed amount of money a customer must pay if they do not send your money by the agreed date. You must write this rule in your original agreement before starting work.
Access Needs and Support Needs: The specific things, tools, or environments you need to work comfortably, safely, and successfully. This can include needing written messages instead of phone calls, or needing extra time to process information.
Small Claims Court: A safe government office that helps people get back money legally owed to them. A judge looks at written texts or emails to make a fair decision when an agreement is broken.
Personal Details: Private information that belongs only to you. Your full name, home address, telephone number, private email, and bank account details.
Five short questions. There is no timer. Take all the time you need.
Question OneQuestion OneQ OneQ One
When you work for yourself, who chooses the hours you work each day?Who picks your work hours when you work for yourself?Who picks your hours? When you work for yourself.Who picks your hours?
Question TwoQuestion TwoQ TwoQ Two
What written message do you send a customer to agree on the work and the pay before you start?What message do you send to agree on work and pay before you start?What message? To agree work and pay. Before you start.What message to agree?
Question ThreeQuestion ThreeQ ThreeQ Three
What is the first thing you do if a customer does not pay you on time?What do you do first if a customer does not pay on time?What first? If a customer does not pay on time.What to do first?
Question FourQuestion FourQ FourQ Four
How do you safely separate your tax money from your spending money?How do you keep tax money separate from spending money?How to keep tax money separate? From spending money.How to split your money?
Question FiveQuestion FiveQ FiveQ Five
Why do you take a photo of your work receipts and save them on your phone?Why save photos of your work receipts?Why save photos? Of work receipts.Why save receipt photos?