Blog

The SubReady blog

Plain-English guides to CIS, tax, expenses and getting paid — written for UK subcontractors, tradespeople and landlords.

CIS

CIS deductions explained: 20%, 30% and gross payment status

What the Construction Industry Scheme takes off your pay, why some subbies lose 30% instead of 20%, and how to keep track of every deduction.

May 2026 · 7 min read

CIS

How to get a CIS refund (and stop lending HMRC your money)

Why CIS subcontractors often overpay tax, how to work out if HMRC owes you money, and the records you need to get your refund back quickly.

May 2026 · 7 min read

Making Tax Digital

MTD for Income Tax: the 2026 guide for sole traders and landlords

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is mandatory from April 2026 for income over £50k. Who it hits, what quarterly updates mean, and how to be ready.

June 2026 · 8 min read

Expenses

What expenses can subcontractors claim? The practical list

The allowable expenses UK subcontractors can claim against tax — tools, materials, mileage, PPE, phone and more — plus what HMRC won’t allow.

June 2026 · 8 min read

Expenses

The 45p mileage allowance: a plain-English guide for the self-employed

HMRC’s simplified mileage rate is 45p per mile for the first 10,000 miles, then 25p. Who can claim, what it covers and how to log trips.

July 2026 · 7 min read

Business

Sole trader or limited company? An honest guide for the trades

Should you stay a sole trader or go limited? Tax, CIS, admin and liability compared honestly for UK trades — and when switching makes sense.

July 2026 · 8 min read

Business

How to price jobs and set a day rate that actually pays you

A practical method for pricing jobs and setting a day rate that covers tax, dead time, tools and van costs — without pricing yourself off the job.

June 2026 · 8 min read

Getting paid

Chasing late payments without losing the customer (templates included)

How tradespeople can chase overdue invoices without burning the relationship — a simple escalation ladder plus copy-paste message templates.

July 2026 · 7 min read

Product

Bookkeeping on WhatsApp: what it actually looks like day to day

Send a receipt photo, type an expense, message an invoice — SubReady turns WhatsApp into your bookkeeper. Here’s exactly what that looks like.

August 2026 · 7 min read

Landlords

Landlord Self Assessment basics: rent, expenses and Section 24

Renting out property in the UK? What counts as rental income, which expenses you can claim, Section 24 in plain English, and key deadlines.

June 2026 · 8 min read

VAT

VAT for construction: thresholds, registration and the reverse charge

The £90k VAT threshold, what registration means for subbies, and how the CIS domestic reverse charge changes who pays the VAT on invoices.

July 2026 · 8 min read

Tax

Payments on account: the tax bill surprise that catches every second-year subbie

Why HMRC asks for extra tax in January and July, how payments on account are calculated, and how to stop the year-two bill catching you out.

August 2026 · 7 min read

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