Self-employment and tax for students on Revave

Most opportunities on Revave currently operate on a self-employed/freelance basis. This means you are not an employee of Revave, and you may be responsible for managing your own taxes depending on how much you earn.

Hiring students rather than looking for work? Read the tax guide for businesses.

What does self-employed mean?

Being self-employed generally means:

you are working independently
you are paid for completing agreed work/services
you manage your own taxes
you are not on payroll like a normal employee

This is common for freelance, project-based, and flexible work.

Do I need to pay tax?

Not necessarily straight away.

In the UK, there is currently a £1,000 trading allowance for self-employed income. This means if you earn under £1,000 from self-employed work in a tax year, you may not need to register for Self Assessment.

However, your personal situation matters and rules can vary depending on:

your total income
other jobs you have
student finance circumstances
how much freelance work you complete

When might I need to register as self-employed?

You may need to register with HMRC if:

your self-employed income exceeds the trading allowance
you regularly freelance/work on projects
HMRC requires you to complete Self Assessment

If required, you are generally responsible for:

registering with HMRC
reporting income
paying any tax or National Insurance owed

Good habits to follow

Even if you only earn a small amount, it's a good idea to:

keep records of payments received
save invoices/screenshots/emails
track dates and earnings
set aside some money in case tax is owed later

Simple spreadsheets are completely fine when starting out.

What Revave does

Revave connects students with SMEs looking for flexible support. At this stage:

Revave does not employ students
Revave does not deduct PAYE tax
Revave does not provide payroll services
students and businesses agree work/payment terms directly

Important

Not all work arrangements are genuinely self-employed. If a business treats someone like a normal employee (fixed hours, close supervision, ongoing obligations etc.), different legal rights and tax rules may apply.

If you are unsure about anything, you should speak with HMRC or a qualified professional.

Disclaimer

This page is for general information only and does not constitute tax or legal advice. Tax obligations depend on individual circumstances and users should review current HMRC guidance.