Coming to work in the UK
In this section:
- Documents you need before you can work in the UK
- Paying UK tax and National Insurance – an introduction
- Working for someone else (employed)
- Working for yourself (self-employed)
- Working in the construction (building) industry
- Tax on income and gains outside the UK
- Financial help if you are on a low wage or have children
- The National Minimum Wage
Working in the construction (building) industry
There are special rules for some people who work in the construction industry. These are called the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) rules. It is important to know if they apply to you.
On this page:
- Do you work for yourself or someone else?
- Are you a contractor or subcontractor under CIS?
- Paying tax if you are a CIS subcontractor
- Responsibilities if you are a CIS contractor
- Leaving the UK
- Help
Do you work for yourself or someone else?
When you're working in the construction (building) industry, it's important to know whether you're working for yourself (self-employed) or for someone else (employed). It will affect how you pay tax.
You can find out whether you are employed or self-employed by following the link below.
Find out whether you are employed or self-employed on the Directgov website
If you work for someone else
If you work for someone else you are called an employee, and the person you work for is your employer.
If you work in the construction industry as an employee and your employer takes tax and National Insurance off your wages before they pay you, then CIS doesn’t apply to you. You can find out more about the tax and National Insurance you will pay as an employee in our guide ‘Working for someone else’ below.
Working for someone else – more information
If you work for yourself
If you work for yourself in the construction industry you will probably come within the special rules called CIS. CIS covers most construction work in the UK.
You can find out if what you do is covered by CIS by following the link below.
Find out if your work comes under CIS
Are you a contractor or subcontractor under CIS?
If the type of work you do is covered by CIS you need to know whether you are:
- a ‘subcontractor’ - you provide services to someone else in the construction or building industry either yourself or by supplying other people
- a ‘contractor’ - you pay subcontractors to provide services for the construction/building industry
- both of the above
Find out if you are a contractor or subcontractor under CIS
If you are both a contractor and a subcontractor then:
- when you're being paid by a contractor to do construction/building work you must follow CIS rules for subcontractors
- when you're paying your own subcontractors you must follow CIS rules for contractors
How to register as a subcontractor for CIS
If you are going to work as a subcontractor in the construction industry, you should:
- register as self-employed with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) - if you work for yourself
- register your company with Companies House - if you are setting up a subcontractor limited company
- then register for CIS
How to register as self-employed
To register as self-employed call the Newly Self-Employed Helpline on Tel 0845 915 4515. They will register you for Self Assessment tax. If you already have a National Insurance number they will also set up your National Insurance account and register you for CIS. Lines are open 8.00 am to 8.00 pm Monday to Friday, and 8.00 am to 5.00 pm Saturday and Sunday. They are closed on bank holidays.
How to set up a limited company
To find out about setting up a limited company, follow the link below. Once your company is registered, HMRC will contact you about paying Corporation Tax.
Starting a company or organisation and Corporation Tax
How to register for CIS
To register your company for CIS, or if you are already registered as self-employed, call the CIS Helpline on Tel 0845 366 7899. If you're calling from abroad please call Tel + 44 161 930 8706. Lines are open from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm every day, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
If you don’t have a National Insurance number, you will need an identity check before you can register for CIS. The CIS Helpline will arrange an appointment for an identity check at a local HMRC office.
Paying tax if you are a CIS subcontractor
For most subcontractors, money is usually taken from your payments each week or month by your contractor and paid to HMRC. This is called ‘deductions’.
Then after the end of the tax year (5 April) you fill in a tax return. The information you put on the form tells HMRC if you owe more tax or if HMRC owes you a tax refund.
If you are a self-employed subcontractor you fill in a Self Assessment tax return.
If you have a limited company you fill in a Corporation Tax return.
If you are self-employed, any deductions which have been taken from your payments during the year can be used to reduce the tax and National Insurance you owe.
If you have a limited company, the deductions can be set off against the monthly payments the company has to make to HMRC for its employees or subcontractors.
Some subcontractors can be paid without any deductions taken off (which is called being paid ‘gross’). You can only be paid gross if you pass special tests. If you are paid gross then you pay all of the tax you owe after you have filled in your tax return.
If you don’t register for CIS before you start work
If you don’t register for CIS before you start work, HMRC will tell your contractors to take much higher deductions than usual from your payments. So, make sure you register before you start.
See the links below for more information on being a CIS subcontractor and how to register.
Being a subcontractor under CIS
Getting paid and paying tax under CIS
Find out more about completing the Self Assessment tax return if you’re self-employed
Find out about Corporation Tax for limited companies
Responsibilities if you are a CIS contractor
If you work as a CIS contractor you need to:
- register for CIS with HMRC
- check the payment status of your subcontractors before you pay them
- tell HMRC each month how much you have paid your subcontractors
- pay HMRC the deductions that you have taken from your subcontractors’ payments
- give the correct paperwork to both HMRC and your subcontractors
To find out more about what you have to do see the link below.
Being a contractor in CIS – learn more
Leaving the UK
If you're leaving the UK you must tell HMRC by contacting your Tax Office (see the link below).
Your Tax Office will give you form P85 to get any tax refund you're
owed and work out if you'll become non-resident. If you still need to
complete a tax return after you leave they'll let you know.
Find
your Tax Office
Help
For help with CIS phone the CIS Helpline on Tel 0845 366 7899. Lines are open from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm every day, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
Or you can find out more by following the link below.
