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Start a handyman business
A handyman business is one of the quickest trades to start in the UK, because there is no general licence and most people begin as a sole trader with tools they already own.
The thing that catches people out is not paperwork, it is scope. Gas work, notifiable electrical work and taking away waste all have legal rules, and getting on the wrong side of them is where the real risk sits.
We help you register correctly, stay inside the regulated boundaries, and get a booking page and local number live so the work can actually come in.
What you need to start a handyman business.
The steps, in the right order. We do every one of them with you.
- 01
Register as self-employed with HMRC
Register as a sole trader so you can file a Self Assessment tax return. This is free and is the simplest way to start. You can move to a limited company later if it makes sense.
- 02
Get insurance in place
Arrange public liability cover, usually £1m to £2m, and add tool cover if you carry valuable kit. If you take anyone on, even casually, add employers liability, which is legally required.
- 03
Sort waste and trade boundaries
If you will remove customer waste, register as a waste carrier with the Environment Agency. Decide which gas and electrical jobs you will turn down or subcontract to a Gas Safe or Part P registered trade.
- 04
Set up bookkeeping and MTD
Open a separate bank account and keep records of income and expenses from day one. Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is being phased in for sole traders by turnover, so use simple software that can report digitally when your turnover band is in scope.
- 05
Build a website and Google Business Profile
A clear one page site with your services, area covered and prices, plus a free Google Business Profile, is how most local customers will find and judge you.
- 06
Set up bookings and a local number
Add online booking so people can book a slot without phoning, and get a local number so enquiries look established and reach you reliably.
What you do and don't need a licence for.
- ✓
Handyman licence · No
There is no general licence to call yourself a handyman or to trade in the UK. The control is on the specific jobs you take on, not the job title. You register the business with HMRC and then stay within the regulated boundaries below.
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Gas and electrical work · Yes, for the regulated parts
You must not carry out gas work unless you are on the Gas Safe Register, and it is a criminal offence to work on gas appliances or pipework without it. For electrics in England and Wales, notifiable work such as a new circuit, or any work in a bathroom or other special location, must be done by someone registered under a Part P competent person scheme. Minor like-for-like jobs such as swapping a socket or light fitting are generally fine. If a job crosses these lines, bring in a registered trade.
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Waste carrier registration · Usually
If you take away customer waste such as old units, rubble or garden waste as part of the job, you need to register as a waste carrier with the Environment Agency (or SEPA in Scotland, NRW in Wales). Upper tier registration carries a fee. Dumping waste or carrying it unregistered can lead to an unlimited fine, and handymen have been prosecuted for it.
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VAT registration · Only above the threshold
You only need to register for VAT once your turnover passes the VAT threshold (currently £90,000 in any rolling 12 month period). Below that it is optional. Most new handymen start well under it.
Insurance. Public liability insurance is not a legal requirement for a sole trader, but almost every customer and letting agent will expect it before you start work, so treat it as essential. Most handymen carry £1m to £2m of cover, and you can usually add tool cover for theft from the van. If you employ anyone, even part time or casually, employers liability insurance is required by law.
Starting a handyman business: FAQs.
Do I need a licence to be a handyman in the UK?
No. There is no general handyman licence and no qualification needed to use the job title or to trade. What is regulated is specific work: gas work needs Gas Safe registration, notifiable electrical work needs a Part P registered person, and removing customer waste needs waste carrier registration. As long as you stay inside those lines, you can start as soon as you have registered with HMRC.
Do I need insurance to work as a handyman?
Public liability insurance is not legally required for a sole trader, but in practice almost every customer, landlord and letting agent will expect to see it, so treat it as essential. Most handymen carry £1m to £2m of cover. If you employ anyone, employers liability insurance is required by law.
How much does it cost to start a handyman business?
Often £500 to £3,000, depending mostly on tools and whether you already have a van. Fixed costs are modest: insurance, waste carrier registration if you remove waste, and a simple website and booking setup. You do not need premises.
How fast can I start as a handyman?
Quickly. Registering as a sole trader with HMRC is free and can be done in a day, and there is no waiting on a licence. The realistic gating items are getting insurance in place and, if you will remove waste, your waste carrier registration. We can have your registration, booking page and local number sorted within a few days.
A small setup, then a companion for as long as you are trading.
You pay once to get the whole business set up properly. Then a simple monthly fee keeps your AI working alongside you for as long as you're trading.
We set the whole business up with you, properly, from day one. Registration, insurance, website, bookings, the lot.
- Registered and legally trading
- Insurance sorted for your trade
- A real website that ranks locally
- Google Business Profile, live on the map
- Online bookings and card payments
- A local phone number that rings your mobile
Stays with you for as long as you are trading. Logs your jobs, chases your money, reminds your customers, and tells you when to raise prices or hire.
Cancel any time. Your data is always yours to export.
Be among the first and keep founding-member pricing for as long as you stay subscribed.
Most services drop you the moment you're registered. Ours never does.
Your AI knows your business from its very first day, because it was there when you started it. It never asks you to explain yourself twice. As you grow, it's the one place you go: today's jobs, what's been paid, customer replies, your next move.
And it's yours. Everything we hold, you can see and export any time. We earn your stay by being useful, not by locking the door. For anything that needs a qualified accountant or adviser, we flag it and connect you to a trusted partner.