Category: Starting a business

09:40:40 GMT • 11 November 2024

How Much Does It Cost to Start a Craft Business?

9 November 2023

•

10 mins read

Contributors

My main focus is managing the blog and product content for the Protectivity website ensuring everything aligns wi...

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Starting a craft business is an exciting venture, allowing you to turn your creative passion into a source of income. Whether you’re skilled in knitting, jewellery making, woodworking, or any other craft, making a business of your hobby can be rewarding.

However, to ensure the success of your business, it’s crucial to understand the start-up costs for a craft business and the legal requirements. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the expenses involved, answer questions about licensing and business registration, and provide tips on how to get started.

What are the essential costs for a craft business?

Craft business start-up costs can vary based on the scale and nature of your company. However, here’s a general breakdown of key costs to be aware of.

Materials and supplies

The cost of materials and supplies is a significant expense for any craft business. The amount you spend will depend on the type of crafts you create. For example, if you’re into woodworking, you’ll need tools, lumber, and finishing materials. If you make jewellery, you’ll require beads, wires, and other components. It’s essential to budget for these materials, and it’s a good idea to buy in bulk to potentially reduce costs.

Equipment and tools

Crafting often requires specialised tools and equipment. This could include sewing machines, kilns, engraving machines, or 3D printers, among others. The cost of these tools can vary widely, so it’s important to research and invest in quality equipment that suits your craft.

Workspace

You may need to set up a dedicated workspace for your craft business. This could be a home studio or a rental workshop, depending on the scale of your operations. Factor in rent, furniture, utilities, and any renovations or improvements, to create an efficient working environment.

Marketing and promotion

To get your craft business off the ground, you’ll need to invest in marketing your brand. This could include creating a professional website, business cards, email marketing, offline promotional materials like brochures and posters, and attendance at craft fairs or markets. Social media promotion is also essential for reaching a broader audience, with options to put advertising spend behind your posts.

Business registration

There may be registration fees involved with starting your business. Additionally, licensing can carry costs, such as street trading or market stall licences. Read more about business registration later in the article.

Insurance

Craft businesses should consider business insurance, which may include public liability insurance, product liability insurance, and contents insurance for your workspace. These insurance policies are crucial for protecting your business in case of accidents, damage, or legal issues.

Packaging and shipping

If you plan to sell your crafts online or through mail orders, budget for packaging materials, shipping costs, and postage. Shipping can be a significant cost, so explore cost-effective options and consider passing on some of these costs to customers.

Photography and branding

High-quality product photography is crucial for showcasing your crafts online and in any printed materials. You may need to invest in a good camera and potentially hire a professional photographer. Developing a distinct brand identity also involves design and branding costs, which you could enlist a professional creative to help with.

Accounting and tax

Consider the cost of hiring an accountant or purchasing accounting software to manage your business finances. This is essential for keeping track of expenses and income and fulfilling tax obligations.

Storage and inventory

If you have a significant inventory of crafts, you’ll need storage space. Renting storage facilities or managing storage costs at home is an expense to factor in.

Travel and transport

If you plan to attend craft fairs, markets, or trade shows, you’ll incur travel and transport costs. This could include fuel, accommodation, and booth rental fees.

Contingency fund

It’s always wise to set aside a contingency fund for unexpected expenses or fluctuations in business income. This acts as a safety net to ensure your craft business can weather unforeseen challenges.

Do I need a licence to sell crafts in the UK?

One of the first questions that often arise when starting a craft business is whether you need a licence to sell your crafts. There isn’t a specific craft-selling licence in the UK, but you might require other licences, depending on your business and area.

Street trading licence

If you plan to sell your crafts on the streets or in public spaces, you may need a Street Trading Licence from your local council. The requirements and costs can vary between councils, so it’s essential to check with your local authority for details.

Market stall licence

If you intend to sell your crafts at markets, you might need a Market Stall Licence, which is usually issued by the event organisers or local authorities. This licence might come with a fee, which you can inquire about when applying to participate in a market.

Food and trading standards

If your crafts are considered food, or if you’re selling items that fall under specific trading standards, you might need to meet certain regulatory requirements and obtain relevant licences or permits. This is particularly relevant for crafts like handmade candles, cosmetics, or edible items.

Alcohol licensing

If your craft business involves selling products with alcohol content, such as hom

It’s important to note that if you’re operating from your home or an online platform, you may not need any specific licence related to crafts. However, you must ensure your crafts comply with safety standards and consumer protection regulations.

Do I need to register to sell crafts in the UK?

Whether or not you need to register your craft business with HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) depends on the scale and nature of your business.

It’s essential to consult with an accountant or a business advisor to determine the most suitable structure and tax implications for your business. Proper registration and tax compliance are crucial to avoid legal issues and financial penalties.

Sole trader registration

If you plan to run your craft business as a sole trader, which is the simplest and most common structure for small businesses, you’ll need to register as self-employed with HMRC. This registration is necessary if your craft business is your primary source of income. You’ll need to keep records of your income and expenses, and you may need to pay income tax and National Insurance.

Limited company registration

If you intend to operate your craft business as a limited liability company (LLC), you must register it with Companies House and inform HMRC. This structure offers more legal protection for your personal assets but comes with additional reporting and tax obligations.

VAT registration

If your craft business generates a significant income, you might also need to register for Value Added Tax (VAT) if your annual turnover exceeds the VAT threshold. This is subject to change but is typically over £85,000. VAT registration involves charging VAT on your products and submitting periodic VAT returns.

Can you make money from selling crafts in the UK?

Firstly, there is plenty of potential to make money from selling crafts. However, there are various factors to consider, such as the quality of your offering, your marketing efforts, and your business strategy. Find out in more detail how you’ll be able to earn more and cover your craft business start-up costs.

Craft quality

The quality and uniqueness of your crafts play a significant role in your success. Customers will pay more for well-made, unique, and attractive items, so make your products stand out in terms of design and craftsmanship.

Market research

Conduct thorough market research to identify your target audience and competitors. Understand what sells well in the craft market and how you can differentiate your products.

Pricing strategy

Determine a competitive pricing strategy. Ensure that your prices cover your costs and provide a reasonable profit margin. Don’t undervalue your work, but be mindful of pricing yourself out of the market.

Sales channels

Consider where and how you want to sell your crafts. Options include craft fairs, markets, online marketplaces, your own website, and social media. Diversifying your sales channels can help reach a broader audience.

Marketing and branding

Invest time and effort in marketing and branding. Effective promotion on social media, craft forums, and local events can help you build a customer base. Creating a distinct brand identity will set you apart from competitors.

Financial planning

Develop a comprehensive business plan that includes a budget and financial projections. This will help you keep track of your expenses, income, and overall profitability.

Customer service

Providing excellent customer service and responding to customer feedback can help you build a loyal customer base and positive reviews, which can be crucial for your business’s success.

Legal considerations

Ensure that you are in compliance with all legal requirements, such as safety standards, licensing, and tax obligations. Non-compliance can lead to costly penalties and damage your business reputation.

Persistence

Building a successful craft business takes time. Be patient and willing to adapt your strategies as needed. Don’t be discouraged by initial challenges.

Networking

Connect with other crafters, attend craft-related events, and consider joining craft associations or online communities. Networking can provide valuable insights and support.

While it’s possible to make money from selling crafts in the UK, it’s important to have realistic expectations and be prepared for the challenges that come with running a business. Success often requires dedication, innovation, and the ability to adapt to changing market conditions.

How do I start a small craft business in the UK?

Starting a small craft business in the UK involves several important steps. Here’s an overview of how to get started:

Clarify your business idea: Identify your craft niche and products. Conduct market research to understand your target audience and competition.

Create a business plan: Create a detailed business plan, containing your goals, target market, marketing strategy, financial projections, budget and investment needs.

Register your business: Decide on the legal structure of your business (sole trader, limited company, etc.). Register it with the appropriate authorities.

Come up with a business name and branding: Choose a business name and check it’s not already in use. Develop a brand identity, including a logo and visual elements that represent your crafts.

Develop your product: Create or source the crafts you plan to sell. Ensure that your products meet safety standards and regulations.

Set your pricing: Determine your pricing strategy to cover costs and make a profit.

Get Crafters Insurance with Protectivity

There are things you can do to minimise the start-up costs for any craft business. This includes having the right craft insurance to cover you in the event that incidents may occur. This way, you can lessen the potential financial impact that could threaten your operation.

Protectivity’s Craft Insurance offers Public Liability cover, designed for accidental damage to customers or third parties, and Employers’ Liability, for any staff you may employ. Our Products Liability extension has been created for claims around third-party products, or opt for Equipment and Stock Cover for loss, damage or theft. We also offer Craft Fair Insurance, if you need cover for your equipment and supplies at one-off or short-term events.

Read more and get a personalised quote today. If you need help with anything, our friendly team can answer any queries you may have.

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09:40:40 GMT • 11 November 2024

How to Start a Food Truck Business

7 November 2023

•

11 mins read

Contributors

My main focus is managing the blog and product content for the Protectivity website ensuring everything aligns wi...

Get catering insurance from Protectivity

All over the country, countless people just like you are branching out with their own food truck business. From traditional fare like burgers and hot dogs, to the tantalising tastes of Asia and Africa, there’s a booming market for delicious meals and snacks on the go. By setting up your own food truck business, you could work at events or set up in a public place to attract customers – but there’s plenty of planning to do to get yourself up and running.

This guide tells you everything you need to know about starting a food truck business, from equipment and stock to licences and payment, and everything in between.

Why should you start a food truck business?

If you’re stuck in a rut with the nine-to-five, and fancy a change of pace towards a job you enjoy, then looking at setting up a food truck might just be the thing for you.

Starting your own food truck business gives you an opportunity to get creative, and to share some of your great recipes with the public. And not only that, you can be your own boss, work where and when you want (within reason!) and work towards making your food truck business exactly how you want it to be.

Things to do to set up a food truck business

Getting a food truck business up and running isn’t as simple as rolling up in your vehicle and getting cooking: there’s plenty of planning and preparation required before you can start selling your dishes to the public.

This list covers all the key basics that you’ll need to navigate as you get started. It isn’t an exhaustive list and you don’t necessarily have to approach them all in this order, but all of them need to be considered along the way:

Create your concept

First of all, you should work out exactly what you want to offer and how you present it. A theme and brand for your food truck business is vital if you want to stand out from the crowd. While working this out, you should not only assess the dishes that you’re capable of creating to a high standard, but also the other food trucks that are already operating in your area. If you offer a style of food that’s already well-catered for, you may find it difficult to get enough market share.

Research your marketplace

Once you’ve got a solid concept in place, you can begin to explore the potential locations and customers that you can target. These could be certain positions and parking spots that will give you access to the public; special events like festivals, sporting events or street food fairs where you can get a pitch in exchange for a fee; or private-hire bookings for occasions like weddings or office parties. The mobility of your business means it’s entirely possible to combine all of these at different times.

Develop your menu

Working out the exact details of your menus is an important early step. You’ll not only want to think about dishes that are delicious, but also make sure that you can charge a realistic amount for them and make a decent profit. Also bear in mind that it’s now become customary for food vendors to provide vegetarian and/or vegan options, so it’s worth creating some meat-free ideas if you don’t already have any.

Work out your prep, storage and freshness times

Connected to your menu preparation, you’ll also need to consider the preparation of your food, including what you can do in advance and what you’ll need to do on site after taking an order. This should consider storage, especially if things need to be kept chilled or frozen, and how long items can safely be stored for before they have to be thrown away. These decisions will play a major part in helping you work out the stock you need to buy, and when you need to buy it.

Remember ingredients and allergies

Don’t forget that you’ll need to provide full information about all the ingredients that you use if requested to do so. The legislation around food and potential allergies has been tightened significantly in recent years. As a result, you should make sure you read up on your requirements, and inform customers over any products that might cause an allergic reaction in certain people.

Register your business

With most of your food-related needs sorted out, you can then start to look at more of the business and finance-related details. You should begin by registering your business, once you’ve decided the form it will take. The simplest way to start will be as a sole trader, but you should remember that you’ll be personally liable for any debts you run up. Limited companies come with a bit more complexity, but do give you some extra protection. Read more about small business accounting in our guide here.

Get your funding in place

You may need to get some extra funds in place to get your business up to speed. This may well be the case if you need to source and fit out a vehicle (which will probably be your biggest initial outlay), or you may need support getting equipment, cooking appliances and your initial stock. There are plenty of small business loans and credit facilities available for you to take advantage of, but make sure you don’t sign up to repayment terms that put you under too much pressure.

Ensure you have the right driving licence

Depending on the size of the vehicle you have in mind, you may need an extra class on your driving licence to be legally able to drive it. Start by checking the classes you already have (these are the letters on the back of your photocard), and compare them with your target vehicle. Then look at the costs of any training and testing you may need to make the grade.

Invest in a reliable vehicle

While it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of getting the perfect vehicle for cooking and food preparation, don’t overlook the importance of its mechanical reliability. Without being able to reliably get to your planned selling locations, your sales and revenue are stopped dead in their tracks. Remember that any deal that looks too good to be true almost certainly is – and if you don’t have automotive expertise, ask a friend for their advice.

Complete your fit-out

Once you’ve got your vehicle, then you can start fitting it out with all the workspace, storage areas and appliances you need. With only a limited amount of space to work with, measurement is the key here. Come up with as precise a plan as you can as to what will go where, and measure any equipment and appliances you need precisely, ideally before buying them. If you buy things that get in the way, don’t fit or that you can’t get into the vehicle, you could be left with a problem that’s very expensive to rectify.

Get the right operating licences

In order to sell your creations, you will need some licences, depending on the nature of your sales. For example, if you’re planning on trading in a public space, then you will need permission from your local council or authority. If you’re going to serve anything alcoholic, then you’ll need an alcohol licence, which you can get for yourself personally rather than for your company. There may be others applicable to you, so seek advice from the authorities about which ones may apply to you.

Forecast your running costs

For any small business, keeping control of cashflow is absolutely paramount. You may find that your income goes through peaks and troughs – you’ll be more likely to make big money at the weekends, and during the warmer months of the year. But you’ll still have overheads to shell out on, from tax, insurance and fuel for your vehicle, to stock, energy and marketing. You should try and predict your expenditure as closely as you can and as far ahead as you can, so that you don’t find yourself short of cash at any point. Planning major purchases well in advance can also help you smooth out your cashflow.

Consider how you’ll serve customers and take payment

Remember the old saying: ‘the first taste is with the eyes’. In your case, that means the presentation of your vehicle and the overall customer experience, especially if you’re in an environment where there are many other competing food trucks around. It’s critical that your food truck looks inviting, has the menu and prices clearly displayed, and has an uncluttered counter so that it’s easy to get served. It’s also important to consider how you’re going to take payment: many food truck operators have shunned the inconvenience of cash and now use mobile card readers as payment devices instead.

Take health, safety and hygiene seriously

There are a number of different risks that come with food trucks, for yourself, your customers, and anyone you employ to work for you. For customers, there is the risk of them becoming ill or (as mentioned above) suffering an allergic reaction, while the confined nature of your working space can heighten the risk of an accident for anyone inside the truck. Make sure you conduct a full risk assessment, and adopt a diligent and proactive approach to food hygiene – getting a top hygiene rating from your local authority can be a big selling point to your customers.

Put good insurance cover in place

Insurance is vital for any business, but for small businesses in particular. A claim against you by a customer who has got ill, or an employee who has got hurt inside your truck, could cost thousands to defend. This can have serious and long-lasting ramifications for your personal finances, especially if you’re operating as a sole trader. Furthermore, most events that host food trucks will require you to have public liability insurance as a condition of attending. For both of these reasons, you should always make sure you have comprehensive insurance cover in place.

Implement your marketing and advertising

By this point in the list, you’re more or less ready to go, and it’s time to start getting your brand, menu and creativity out to a wider audience. Social media is definitely the best place to start, as you can spread your message to large numbers of people for free. You may, however, want to consider paying for some ads on social platforms as a way of getting noticed. But social media isn’t the be-all and end-all: don’t neglect the power of more traditional forms of advertising, like leaflets, posters, newspaper adverts, and an eye-catching blackboard outside your truck when you’re open.

Get catering business insurance with Protectivity

Taking all of the steps listed above can give your food truck business the best possible chance of success. However, no business is 100% immune from unforeseen circumstances, and as a small business operator, the financial implications of an unfortunate event can be severe.

That’s why it’s so important to have good insurance in place, such as the catering business insurance that you can get from Protectivity. Our comprehensive cover includes up to £5 million of public liability insurance, up to £10 million of employers’ liability cover if you employ other people, products liability for everything you sell, and the option of commercial legal protection.

Our cover starts from just a few pounds a month, but can give you the confidence and peace of mind to grow your food truck business into something really special. Take a closer look at our catering business insurance today.

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09:40:40 GMT • 11 November 2024

What Qualifications are Needed to Become an Electrician?

24 October 2023

•

8 mins read

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My main focus is managing the blog and product content for the Protectivity website ensuring everything aligns wi...

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Britain is suffering a severe shortage of qualified tradespeople, despite the fact that the level of demand means that there are potentially excellent earnings on offer. As well as builders and plumbers, good-quality electricians are extremely sought after right now. And with technology, electric cars, smart homes and domestic appliances all playing increasingly large roles in our everyday lives, the need for electrical installation and repair work isn’t likely to subside any time soon.

If you’re a young person evaluating your career choices, or you’re looking for a change in profession, it can be difficult to know where to start. That’s why we’ve created this guide, so that you can understand what qualifications you need to be an electrician. We’ll cover why qualifications are important, how they vary across the different routes into the industry, and the other key considerations to make as you become an electrical professional.

Why are qualifications important to be an electrician?

We’ve all heard of cowboy tradespeople and bodge-jobs at one time or another, and this kind of poor-quality work, often done on the cheap, doesn’t do anybody any good. Taking the appropriate qualifications for electrical work is vital for a number of reasons to ensure everyone gets the work and service they expect. Let’s break it down into five key areas:

Safety

This is perhaps the most important thing to remember when looking at what qualifications you need to be an electrician. Work that is not done safely can cause serious injury or worse, not only to whoever is doing the work, but to whoever is using the electrics afterwards. Good-quality training will ensure the right attitude and approaches towards safe work.

Specific expertise

Electrical work is such a broad church that there is a wide range of different works, which can vary depending on the work involved. For example, Domestic Installers don’t necessarily require all the qualifications and legal commitments that other electricians might need (more on that later). Different types of qualifications ensure that an electrician’s skill set is suitable for the type of work that they’re doing.

Quality of work

Qualifications ensure that an electrician is capable of doing the jobs they’re hired or contracted to do to the best possible standard. The training involved will guarantee that the right techniques and approaches have been learned along the way, instead of relying on second-hand advice or guesswork.

Customer trust

All three of the points above are important for giving customers confidence that their project is in good hands. Everyone remembers a good electrician, but they’re just as likely to remember a bad one. If a customer feels positive about work before, during and afterwards, they’re far more likely to become a repeat customer for months and even years to come.

Legislation

Different types of work come with different types of rules and regulations, many of them to ensure all the points listed above are adhered to. Qualifications help ensure work that takes place is legal, and that the importance of legal work is understood. In many cases, having these qualifications will be a legal requirement to get certain work and jobs.

What electrician qualifications can I get, and how can I get them?

There are several different ways to get into the electrical industry, and which ones are right for you depend on a number of different factors. These include (and are not necessarily limited to): your age, any pre-existing experience you have, any qualifications you’ve gained in other industries, and how much of your own money you’re able to spend on training. In this section, we’ll cover the main options in turn, and highlight some of the qualifications to work towards:

Apprenticeship

Getting an apprenticeship is probably the most common way to get a foothold in the industry, and in many ways, it can be considered the most traditional. You’ll be able to work on-site part-time, and spend the rest of your time learning in a college of specialist training centre.

Generally speaking, electrician apprenticeships last around three or four years. To be eligible, you’ll normally be expected to have GCSEs at grade C or better in English, Maths and Information Communication Technology. At the end of the apprenticeship, you’ll have either a technical certificate, NVQ or diploma at Level 3, which will enable you to pursue a long-term career in most types of electrical work.

Electrician’s mate

If you work as an electrician’s mate, then you have the chance to gain some working knowledge of electrical installations by shadowing and assisting a qualified professional. There are no formal requirements for qualifications to become an electrician’s mate, although gaining some of the basic credentials at levels 1 and 2 is desirable. Generally speaking, mates will not be able to carry out work unsupervised, which is why they’re generally better suited to larger businesses and sites where there are more people able to assist and provide advice.

Formal qualifications

It is possible to take qualifications in a formal college-based setting, in particular the Diploma in Electrical Installation at levels 2 and 3, or the T Level in Building Services Engineering for Construction. However, these should not be considered everything that is needed to become a fully qualified electrician: practical experience working in the electrical industry (normally around three years) is also required. This is why the apprenticeship (as highlighted above) or company-specific training and development schemes should be considered in tandem with any course.

Approved Electrician status

The Joint Industry Board (JIB) awards the status of Approved Electrician to anyone who meets their exacting criteria. For starters, you’ll need to have completed an apprenticeship or equivalent; but you’ll also need at least two years’ further experience after that; and a level 3 qualification in inspecting, testing and initial verification.

Approved Electricians are able to design and install electrical projects in a high-quality, efficient and safe manner. They’ll also be able to manage projects and understand requirements from drawings and specifications. Therefore, while it may take a long time to get Approved status, it can significantly increase your earning power in the long-term.

Domestic Installer qualifications

In the eyes of the law – specifically Part P of the Building Regulations (Electrical Safety – Dwellings) – Domestic Installers are not electricians, strictly speaking. However, that doesn’t mean that they aren’t professionals in their own right.

Domestic Installers do not necessarily have to go through all the qualifications that electricians need to. Instead, you can get up to speed through gaining a level 3 award that confirms their knowledge of electrical installations. This should also ensure that you are conversant with the British Standard BS 7671 on Requirements for Electrical Installations (also known informally as ‘The Regs’). These awards can be completed in around 100 hours, meaning it’s possible to get what you need in as little as three weeks, as long as you can demonstrate an example installation to an assessor.

Direct application

Many electricians come into the industry from other trades, especially related areas like building or electrical engineering. In this case, some of the qualifications gained to work in these industries can be transferred into working as an electrician. You may find that through your existing credentials, you’re able to get a job at an employer that will then help you gain all the skills and specific qualifications that you’re missing.

Pre-existing experience

If you’ve already been working in the industry for some time and you haven’t reached at least a level 3 qualification, you may be able to get that level of accreditation without going through training. You can take an Experienced Worker Assessment that takes a look at your capabilities and expertise, and works out if you’re already operating at a sufficient level.

Get electricians insurance with Protectivity

Electrical work is vitally important, and it can also be highly dangerous if not done correctly. It’s for that reason that there are a wide range of requirements and legislation in place to make sure that work is always done safely and to a good, professional standard. If something goes wrong, the financial implications can be severe, which is why having the correct insurance is essential. At Protectivity, we now offer insurance for tools to help tradespeople protect their business.

If you’re working for an employer, then you’ll normally be covered by whatever insurance provision they have in place. But if you’re working on a self-employed basis, or running your own electrician business where you’re employing other people, then having your own tradesman insurance in place is a must.

At Protectivity, we specialise in providing electricians insurance to professionals and entrepreneurs just like you. Our cover includes up to £5 million of public liability cover, employers’ liability if you hire other people, and the option for commercial legal protection in case you need support in this area. Find out more about our affordable policies, excellent claims handling, and monthly payment options for our electricians insurance today.

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14:11:07 GMT • 23 January 2025

Why do catering businesses need insurance?

16 October 2023

•

13 mins read

Contributors

My main focus is managing the blog and product content for the Protectivity website ensuring everything aligns wi...

Get catering insurance from Protectivity

If you run a catering business, then you need catering business insurance.

Whether you’re serving food to hundreds of people at a wedding, or you’re running your own food truck at festivals and events, insurance gives you vital protection if something goes wrong. Without it, you’ll be placing your business – and therefore your own finances – at serious long-term risk. You may also be holding your business back from its true potential, and maximum profitability.

This guide explains all the key basics around catering business insurance: why it’s so important, what it protects you against, and why it might not cost as much as you thought.

Do I need insurance for a food catering business?

Short answer: yes! Every type of food catering business that is serving members of the public should have some form of insurance in place, at the very least to cover them against any illness or injury caused to customers.

Types of business that should be insured include (and are by no means limited to): event caterers, wedding caterers, business and corporate caterers, and artisan food operators, and even if you run a banqueting or exhibition hall and have your own catering staff on-site.

As catering businesses generally operate across a wide range of locations, it’s important to make sure that you’re covered for every reasonable eventuality, across every single place that you might operate in.

Situations where catering business insurance is vital

You might be tempted to focus on the food you sell and/or produce as the main risk of a claim being made against you. This is undoubtedly a major concern, but for any mobile catering or food-related operation, it’s just one of a host of possible issues that can easily creep up at any time. Five of the biggest include:

If someone becomes ill

Foodborne illnesses can easily strike, almost at any time, and the impact of them both on you and your customers can be severe. The most common causes of them for mobile catering businesses are food that is either undercooked, or that hasn’t been stored properly, and so becomes infected with dangerous bacteria. Poor hygiene practice, such as failing to wash hands on a regular basis can also allow bacteria to spread.

While all good types of insurance for a catering business will take care of any claims arising from this, you shouldn’t rely on insurance to bail you out. You should be as proactive and diligent as you possibly can be, and strive to achieve and maintain a five-star food hygiene rating from your local authority.

If food is spoiled for reasons beyond your control

Sometimes, circumstances conspire to make some of your food unfit for sale, or to make some of your ingredients unusable. For example, if you have anything stored in the fridge, then that can’t be used if the fridge breaks or if there’s a power cut as the food will become too warm and at risk of bacteria spreading. Of course, if you’ve made a significant investment into that stock, then that can have a major impact on your finances, so taking out insurance means you can be compensated – as long as you can prove it was because of events out of your control.

If your equipment breaks

Similar to the previous point, any equipment or machinery that can’t be used can seriously disrupt the services you can offer to your clients. This could be something as simple as a whisk or mixer going down if you make milkshakes, to a faulty or broken oven. As well as damage or mechanical breakdown, these items are often vulnerable to theft or even vandalism, which can similarly hamper your ability to prepare and sell products, or meet the requirements of your clients. Insurance can ensure that when these situations occur, you have the finances to source repairs or replacements in a timely manner, so that you can keep your business up and running.

If someone working for you gets hurt

As your business grows, you may find that you need to employ other people, so that you can handle all the demand coming your way, and so that you don’t have to do everything all by yourself. In this situation – even if you only employ one other person – it is absolutely essential that you have employer’s insurance in place. Under the terms of the Work Injury Compensation Act, if your employee is injured in the course of their work, you are legally required to compensate them for all their medical expenses and lost earnings that result. Employers’ insurance can offer financial protection against these eventualities.

Why you should buy catering business insurance

As you can see, there are several different circumstances where catering business insurance comes into play. But from your perspective, it gives you vital protection and reassurance in a number of different areas that go far beyond your day-to-day operations:

It protects your financial interests

When you run a small business, your personal and business finances are very closely interlinked – even if you have the official separation of operating as a limited company. When your normal activity is disrupted, your ability to generate income is severely impacted and you may find yourself struggling to pay the bills. Additionally, a successful claim for compensation can cost thousands of pounds, plus legal fees. Insurance helps you keep up and running, and covers many of the costs that can crop up unexpectedly.

It meets your legal responsibilities

If you’re running any sort of catering business, then you’ll be expected to comply with a range of different rules and regulations. As mentioned above, you’ll need employers’ insurance if you employ at least one other person, while you should also have products insurance to cover all the goods and services you provide. A good-quality catering business insurance policy will roll all of these protections and more into a single manageable monthly payment.

It reassures your customers and employees

Many catering businesses have to work very hard to convince and reassure people that they operate to the highest professional standards, from service to hygiene and everything in between. This doesn’t just apply to customers, who want to know that your food is safe (and tasty), but also your employees and suppliers, who want to feel that they’re dealing with a professional, diligent organisation. Being able to demonstrate that you have good insurance cover in place can show them that you take your business and your responsibilities seriously.

It complies with event attendance regulations

The vast majority of events will expect to see proof of your insurance as a condition of your catering business attending. Generally, they will expect to see evidence of a certain level of public liability insurance when you make your application. Without this in place, you’ll find it extremely difficult to get access to any prime opportunities to make major sales, because event organisers naturally want to protect themselves against the claim. That’s why you should always look for an insurance policy with a strong level of public liability cover: £5 million is a good starting point.

It gives you access to legal support if needed

Of course, every now and again, circumstances will arise which simply aren’t avoidable, and you may find yourself having to defend your business and actions in court. Even if you’re successful, this can be an extremely expensive endeavour in terms of legal fees, and that’s without considering the time you’ll lose that you could otherwise spend trading and developing your business. Some catering business insurance policies therefore offer extra cover for legal support, so that the financial and time loads of any court actions or disputes can be lightened.

Situations where catering business insurance is vital

If someone becomes ill

If food is spoiled for reasons beyond your control

If your equipment breaks

If someone working for you gets hurt

Why you should buy catering business insurance

It protects your financial interests

It meets your legal responsibilities

It reassures your customers and employees

It complies with event attendance regulations

It gives you access to legal support if needed

Get catering business insurance with Protectivity

As this blog demonstrates, insurance cover is critical, whatever type of catering business you want to run. And at Protectivity, we have years of experience in providing catering business insurance to creative entrepreneurs just like you.

With one of our affordable policies, you can:

Get up to £5 million of public liability cover against accidental injury or property damage
Up to £10 million of employers’ liability insurance, which is a legal requirement if you employ at least one other person
Products liability in case injury or illness is caused by the items and creations you sell
Optional commercial legal protection to help you with the expense of any court activity or contractual disputes

Our cover is available from just a few pounds a month, meaning you can give your business security and peace of mind, whatever the future may hold. Take a closer look at our catering business insurance today.

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14:16:37 GMT • 13 November 2024

Cheap small business ideas to start up

5 October 2023

•

8 mins read

Contributors

My main focus is managing the blog and product content for the Protectivity website ensuring everything aligns wi...

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Ever considered some side hustle ideas, so you can break out of the nine-to-five? Now could be the best time to do it!

Every year, thousands of people just like you all over the country decide to set up their own small businesses and follow their dreams. Not only do they get to be their own boss, they get to enjoy the results of their hard work and turn their bold visions into viable business reality. But which idea is best for you?

This blog highlights more than a dozen side hustle ideas, that you can start up as small businesses for very little initial investment, or in some cases nothing at all. It includes side hustle ideas from home, chances to get creative, and opportunities to earn money for doing what you love most.

Pet grooming

If you’re an animal lover and you’ve got an eye for style, then becoming a professional pet groomer could be the job for you. Owners are spending more money than ever on their pets in order to keep them looking great, and to ensure that they’re as healthy as they possibly can be. This means that top-quality pet groomers, who have all the right skills, qualifications, tools and techniques, are in high demand – and can attract premium price tags once they’ve gained experience.

Mobile hairdressing

Men and women alike love to shell out on a great new hairstyle, but many people struggle to find the time to head to the salon. So why not take your styling skills to your customers? Mobile hairdressers are always in demand, especially during the evenings and at weekends when busy professionals are home from work. You’ll need your own transport as well as your own equipment, but you’ll be able to build a regular and loyal client base that can generate consistent income.

Nailcare

Britain’s high streets are teeming with nail salons these days, as they’re a great way to pursue a career in health and beauty without too much of a need to invest in equipment. While the number of nail bars already in business means the market is fairly saturated, but setting yourself up as a mobile nail technician can help you stand out from the crowd. Building a portfolio of your work that you can share online, and getting some formal qualifications, is an excellent place to start.

Personal training

For every gym bunny that works out every day, there’s another person who just can’t summon the self-motivation to exercise and push themselves on. This is just one of the reasons why personal trainers are so popular today. Whether you’re providing sessions in your local gym, outside in the park, or even in a client’s own home, you can make a real difference to their progress, whether they’re training to run a marathon or just want to lose a bit of weight. And you also have the freedom to specialise in certain techniques or types of exercise.

Massage therapy

Similar to personal training, massages can have a real positive impact on a person’s health and wellbeing, and the benefits can be mental as well as physical. Trained masseurs and masseuses can explore a range of different specialisms, from sports massages that encourage recovery to soothing treatments to promote rest and relaxation. You can operate from your own home or those of your clients, but getting qualifications will be key to attracting more – and more lucrative – clients.

Event management

Some of the side hustle ideas with the lowest start-up costs are those you can do from home with a computer. One that can be especially rewarding for small business people and freelancers is event management. There are countless organisations out there who need professional help in ensuring their events go smoothly, and plenty of couples who could do with handing their wedding planning to a third party. If you’re highly organised, can work well under pressure and don’t mind unsociable hours, then this could well be the job for you.

Pet-sitting, house-sitting and babysitting

When people go on holiday, are going out for the evening, or have to travel on business, they want the peace of mind that their loved ones and their belongings are protected. That’s why the market for looking after children or pets, or simply keeping houses occupied, is always a healthy one. The most important investment you can make in this area is to make sure you’ve undergone security checks, such as DBS if you’re intending to look after children.

Virtual assistant

As remote working has increased on the back of the pandemic, so many of the services that are related to work can also now be done remotely. An excellent example of this is a virtual assistant, who will fulfil many of the organisation and administration roles of a PA. Some businesses may only require this work part-time, opening up the possibility of working for multiple clients simultaneously. The key here is to make sure you’re as accessible and contactable as possible, across phone, email, and video collaboration tools.

Laundry services

If you’ve got a washing machine, a tumble dryer, an iron and an ironing board, then you’ve got everything you need to set yourself up offering laundry services. There are several reasons why laundry services get so much business, from busy executives who don’t have time to keep their office attire clean and pressed, to people in small accommodation who don’t have their own laundry facilities. It’s a job you can do entirely from home, although offering collection and delivery can help you stand out even further in the marketplace.

Cleaning

Everything needs cleaning and tidying at some point, but plenty of things can get in the way: a lack of time, not being very good at it, or just general laziness. This means that there’s always demand for professional cleaners, both in residential and business settings. Beyond your own transport, there isn’t too much in the way of equipment or qualifications required, and as a freelancer, you may have some flexibility around where and when you work. A good level of physical fitness is very important, though.

Handicrafts and artisan food

If you’re a creative person, there’s probably never been a better time to explore side hustle ideas that bring your passions to life. It could be arts and crafts, or food and drink, but there are two reasons why you’ve got more opportunities than ever before to sell your wares. One is the internet, where platforms like Etsy or even eBay can connect you to a global customer base. And the other is the growth of craft fairs and other similar events, where creators like you can showcase and sell your products to the public directly.

Tutoring

Tutoring is an excellent side hustle idea from home, and as long as you have the right experience and knowledge (and pass any security checks required), you’re more or less good to go. Tutoring can be in core subjects like English, maths and science for students who need extra help, or can be in learning more artistic skills like playing musical instruments. You may also want to specialise in coaching people to pass certain exams, such as the 11-plus, GCSEs, A-Levels or even university entrance assessments.

Social media and content creation

From individual influencers to global businesses, everyone has to work hard on their online presence, across their website and all their social media channels. If they don’t have the in-house expertise to develop the right content and strategies, then this is where you can help. You can create blogs and social media posts that help businesses generate more interest and sales, and you can also act as a consultant who assesses existing online footprints and recommends ways to make improvements.

Get small business insurance with Protectivity

The cheap side hustle ideas listed here are just a small fraction of the opportunities you can explore. But whatever option you decide to go for, one thing remains the same: make sure you have the most appropriate cover for your needs to ensure you’re protected from unexpected incidents.

Protectivity offers affordable small business insurance for budding entrepreneurs just like you, specialising in a wide range of different activities. Whether you’re looking for catering insurance, crafters insurance, pet business insurance or another another small business, explore the full list of small business insurance we provide today, or get in touch with our team to discuss your specific requirements.

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10:05:45 GMT • 20 March 2025

How to become a gym instructor: A comprehensive guide

26 September 2023

•

8 mins read

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If you’re passionate about helping people to improve their fitness and reach their performance targets, you may be considering a career as a gym instructor. In this role, you lead exercise programmes and give people advice to support their physical health and overall wellbeing. It’s a good time to work in this industry as more people become interested in their health and fitness, seeking out advice and training from qualified professionals.

You could work at a gym, in a leisure centre or for a sports club. The benefits of being a gym instructor include a flexible schedule outside of 9-5 hours, nurturing people’s self-confidence and helping them to enjoy healthier lives. Working on shared goals with people in a dynamic environment can be extremely rewarding. This can increase your own happiness through feelings of professional fulfilment and social connection, as you build strong relationships with clients and fellow instructors. Naturally, you’ll also reap the benefits of good physical health, as the role requires you to be consistently active and lead by example, adopting the good fitness habits you teach to others.

If you’re wondering how to become a gym class instructor, there are specific requirements you’ll need to be aware of. In this blog, we’ve outlined everything you can do to become certified and start practising as a gym instructor. Find out more about the desired skills, the necessary qualifications for different roles and levels, and the length of time it takes to qualify.

How do I become a gym instructor?

To become a gym instructor, you’ll need certain qualifications, people skills and a personal interest in fitness. When pursuing work, it will help you to have practical experience in relevant settings, so you could start out by working as a fitness assistant or another role within a gym. You could do this while you study for the necessary certifications to work as a gym instructor. You’ll also have to pass background checks before you can do this work.

Gym instructors looking for roles can also opt to become certified in CPR and first aid. This isn’t always essential but it is often desired, so it could increase your employability as it shows your commitment to safety, which is an important aspect of the role. You could also be filling a vital gap in the gym you’re applying to work in, if they’re in need of more people with that kind of training.

To be able to lead a variety of fitness classes, you can also follow industry trends and attend conferences, taking additional training in specific types of exercise. You could create videos of yourself leading classes with consenting participants, to demonstrate your abilities to prospective employers.

The required skills of gym instructors

Gym instructors need to possess certain skills and qualities, so it will help your prospects if you have these attributes. They include these core areas:

Good communication

You’ll have to clearly explain exercises to clients, with step-by-step instructions and guidance around health and safety. The role requires you to help people understand their own health and fitness, and clearly share details about the progress they are making in various areas. You’ll also have to listen to what clients tell you and trust that they know their own bodies and capabilities best.

Knowledge of fitness

You’ll need a good understanding of areas such as science, anatomy, physiology, and nutrition. This will help you to design targeted workout plans and give informed, relevant advice to people. Your qualifications will give you a good grounding in the required knowledge. If you take up an apprenticeship, it will provide you with on-the-job training and real-world experience as you learn. It will also help you to continuously expand your expertise and skills throughout your career.

Motivational abilities

You’ll have to inspire clients to push themselves and strive to hit their objectives, keeping them accountable and helping them to remain committed to the goals they’ve set. You’ll need to be empathetic and help them remain positive on more difficult days, giving them encouragement and empowering them to push their limits.

Good observation

This is a crucial skill to have, as you’ll not only help people to become fitter, you’ll also be responsible for their safety. This means you’ll observe everything from changes in their appearance to developments in their physical health, their capacity to perform activities at each stage of their training to whether they are safely carrying out instructions and protecting themselves.

Strong organisation skills

You’ll have to balance the training programmes, records and appointments of numerous customers and clients at any one time. This means keeping on top of paperwork, being meticulous in your note taking and constantly reacting to change, adapting your plans and updating your files. You’ll have to be punctual and help clients to remain on track with their goals.

What qualifications are needed to be a gym instructor?

The guidelines for how to become a gym instructor in the UK vary according to the stage you’re at. Everyone needs to take the same qualification when starting out in their career. As you grow your skills and move into particular areas of interest, you can pursue various training routes.

How to become a level 2 gym instructor

A level 2 qualification is the minimum requirement you’ll need to qualify as a gym instructor. The Level 2 Certificate in Fitness Instructing will formally permit you to practise, once you’ve enrolled on the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) and gained your membership.

There are no entry requirements for acceptance and 16 years is the minimum eligible age. You can take the course with a traditional educational institution, such as a college, or with an online learning provider.

Do you need to be qualified to give an induction in a gym?

Once you have your Level 2 Certificate in Fitness Instructing and are working as an instructor, you’ll be able to induct new members. Gym inductions involve showing new customers how to use the equipment, informing them about health and safety procedures and obtaining a completed medical questionnaire.

How to become a gym instructor assessor

If you want to become a fitness tutor, this usually incorporates being both a gym instructor assessor and a teacher, supporting other professionals to develop their careers. This can require you to create lesson plans, teach groups of people starting out in the industry, give feedback on people’s work and invigilate exams.

You’ll usually need a couple of years’ experience before you can become an assessor. This role will also require you to have passed a Level 3 Ofqual-accredited teaching and assessing course.

How to become a personal trainer

If you want to advance beyond your gym instructor role and become a personal trainer, you’ll need to take the Personal Training Level 3 Certificate. This is in addition to your level 2 certification. It will teach you to work with people more closely, giving targeted advice around health and nutrition, and creating and delivering personalised fitness programmes. You could then find your own clients and become self-employed in your personal training.

How to become a fitness coach

If you’d like to move into coaching, you can take the Sports Coaching and Development Level 3 National Diploma. This is a vocational, practical-based BTEC qualification, which qualifies you to become a professional coach. You’ll be eligible to undertake this diploma once you’ve obtained your Level 2 Certificate in Fitness Instructing. You’ll usually need at least five GCSEs too.

Sports Coaching and Development teaches you how to support people with specific areas of their health and wellbeing, with modules on subjects such as nutrition and physiology. You’ll learn detailed techniques for helping people with their performance goals. The course content also prepares you for building your career as a self-employed fitness professional.

How long does it take to become a gym instructor?

The timeframe for becoming qualified as a gym instructor can vary, depending on where you gain your qualification. However, the Level 2 Certificate in Fitness Instructing usually takes up to six weeks on a full-time basis; longer if you study part-time.

Get gym insurance with Protectivity

If you’re a self-employed gym instructor or running your own fitness business, you’ll need to take out comprehensive gym insurance that covers a range of possible risks. Whether it’s a customer injury or damage to your premises that prevent you from operating, we have a range of cover that can be tailored to your needs.

Protectivity, offers a gym insurance policy that gives you peace of mind for unexpected situations that may arise. It’s been designed to support your company and your career success, while protecting your professional reputation, workplace and finances. This great-value specialist cover protects you from a range of potential pitfalls that can come with working for gyms and fitness clubs.

We also offer personal trainer insurance for those looking to branch out on their own. Our friendly and experienced team members are on hand to assist with any insurance related queries to help you protect your business.

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09:48:18 GMT • 14 November 2024

How to become a nail technician

24 August 2023

•

9 mins read

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If you love keeping your nails healthy and making them look fantastic, then there’s a career opportunity waiting for you as a professional nail technician.

As with most beauty treatments nowadays, there is huge demand for qualified, professional nail technicians to sell their services and add some shimmer to clients’ hands and feet. However, in order to make the most of the opportunity, there’s plenty to learn, do and understand, whether you want to work for yourself or for someone else.

In this guide, we’ll cover all the basics you need to know around how to become a nail technician. You’ll read about what it involves, the qualification and training that you need, your potential earnings, how to go about starting a nail technician business, and much more.

What is a nail technician and what do they do?

A nail technician delivers all kinds of different treatments to the fingernails, thumbnails and toenails of their clients. These can include treatments to keep them healthy, such as grooming cuticles, removing dead skin and even massaging the arms and legs to promote overall health in that part of the body. And it also includes more style-based, beauty treatments such as manicures, pedicures, nail art, and the application and removal of nail polish and false nails.

Other responsibilities that nail technicians are required to undertake include:

Giving advice on nail care and advising on possible courses of action

Conduct repairs for broken or damaged nails (more on this below)

Ensure that the skin and areas around the nails are in good condition

Use chemicals and other substances correctly, safely and in accordance with relevant regulation

Keep tools and equipment, as well as working environments, clean and sanitised so as to minimise the risk of accident or infection

What qualifications do I need to be a nail technician?

First of all, it’s important to state that there is no formal legal requirement to possess a qualification and offer nail technician services professionally. However, it can make a major difference to your employability, or your attractiveness to clients as a freelancer, so gaining some proper credentials is strongly recommended.

There are many different colleges and education bodies around the UK that offer nail technician training courses, but one way to train and earn at the same time is to take on an apprenticeship. Here, you’ll be able to work in a salon and learn some of the basics of the job in a real-world environment, while doing the academic study parts of the qualification alongside.

If you can reach level 3 of your apprenticeship, then you will have gained:

All the key skills and trends to provide a wide range of nail-related services

An understanding of the legal and regulatory requirements of the job

The preparation and knowledge to start your own nail technician business

From this, you can then go on to explore some specialist nail technician courses which can help you stand out from the crowd and expand your offering. These can include (and are by no means limited to) manicures and pedicures, acrylic nails, fibreglass and gel extensions, and nail art.

What tools and equipment do I need?

Obviously, you’ll need some nail varnish and paints, and suitable brushes! However, there are lots of other pieces of equipment you’ll need, such as clippers, files, glue, sanitisers, buffers and cuticle oil. You’ll also need to consider some clean, professional clothing, as well as any protection you might need to keep your hair out of the way.

Furthermore, you should make sure you have the right environment for giving treatments, so that both you and the client are comfortable, and so you don’t make any mistakes. A sturdy table and chairs are a must, while you should also look at mirrors and portable lighting so that you can easily see what you’re doing at all times.

Can nail technicians fix broken nails?

With the right skills and training, yes. Nail repairs are one of the most common reasons that clients come to a professional nail technician, making it a potentially lucrative channel of profitability for those who are able to do it to a high standard.

Repairs can either be carried out using a special gel to fill the crack, nail glue to put the two cracked sides back together, or through localised reapplication in the case of acrylic nails.

It’s vital to get some good training and qualifications in repairing broken nails, so that employers and clients can get the job done right. If you make any errors, then it can be disruptive (and painful!) for the client.

How much do nail technicians make?

There is quite a wide range of potential earnings when it comes to nail technicians, and that’s because there are many different factors at play. Firstly, you’ll be able to command greater salaries (or charge higher rates if you’re self-employed) if you have plenty of experience and a good reputation in your local area.

Additionally, the part of the country you live in may increase your salary potential (for example, if you live in London or the south-east), but this can often be counterbalanced by higher living costs. And then there’s expenses to consider: many freelance nail technicians wanting to operate from salons will have to pay for chair rental, which will eat into profit margins.

Overall, according to the National Careers Service, annual salaries for full-time employed nail technicians’ range between £15,500 for younger newcomers, up to £25,000 for older and more experienced technicians at high-end spas. If operating on a self-employed basis, then rates per treatment range between £15 to £35, before any business expenses are taken into account. Which leads nicely onto the next section…

How do I start my own nail technician business?

If you’d prefer to be your own boss, or you want to progress long-term after starting out in a salon, then you have the opportunity to set up your own nail technician business. This means that your earning potential is theoretically limitless, but there are plenty of considerations and expenses to take into account, too:

Business model

Firstly, you’ll need to decide how your business is going to operate. For example, do you want to freelance out of a salon and pay for chair rental, or do you want to go it alone and provide services yourself? The former option is the simplest from a business admin point of view, but can come with the substantial expense of the chair rental. The latter gives you more flexibility, although it requires an important decision to be made in the next point…

Place of treatment delivery

Where are you going to be providing your nail treatment services? If you want to set up your own salon (and are unable or unwilling to do so from their own home), then you’ll need to find and pay for suitable business premises. Alternatively, you could set yourself up as a mobile nail technician, and travel to clients’ homes: compared to many types of beauty treatment, nail work doesn’t require lots of big, heavy kit, making it more viable as a mobile operation.

Company arrangements

Whichever of the options above you choose, you’ll need to decide the status of your business in legal and taxation terms. The easiest way (especially if freelancing alone) is to set yourself up as a sole trader; however, in this situation, any debts you incur will have to be settled through your personal finances. While a limited company can take more administration and be more expensive to set up, it does give you some financial protection, especially if you go on to employ other nail technicians in the future.

Overheads and transportation

Any prices and rates you set (whether on a per-treatment or an hourly basis) need to account for the fact that you will incur expenses in many different areas. These can include premises, transport, products, tools, equipment, health and safety provision, heating, lighting, water, Internet and business administration. You’ll also have to bear in mind that you’ll need to pay income tax and National Insurance on the earnings you make, as well as Corporation Tax if you operate as a limited company.

Insurance and employing staff

If you’re really successful with your nail technician business, then you’ll be able to expand by hiring staff to work for you. This multiplies the amount of clients and treatments that you’ll be able to offer, but also comes with an extra layer of requirements and expenses. As well as paying your staff a fair wage, you’ll also need to make Employer’s National Insurance contributions. In addition, it’s a legal requirement to have employer’s liability insurance in place, so that you’re protected against a claim in the event of your employee suffering an accident or injury in the course of their work.

Affordable nail technician insurance from Protectivity

If you’re branching out as a self-employed nail technician, or you’re setting up a nail technician business, then it’s important to be sure you have the correct insurance cover in place.

Protectivity’s specialist nail technician policy covers you in case unexpected incidents occur where a claim is made against you. Our insurance includes public liability, products liability, equipment and stock, employers’ liability, personal accident and much more. That way, you can grow your business with confidence and avoid costly claims that could seriously damage your finances.

Take two minutes today to explore our affordable and flexible nail technician insurance policies.

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15:47:51 GMT • 13 November 2024

How to become a painter and decorator

17 August 2023

•

10 mins read

Contributors

My main focus is managing the blog and product content for the Protectivity website ensuring everything aligns wi...

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Have you ever wondered how to become a painter and decorator? If you love making interiors look great, applying some flair and creativity, and working out and about rather than in an office, it could be the career for you. And at a time when demand for good tradespeople continues to outstrip supply, it’s a chance for you to potentially earn some really good money in the long-term. But if you’ve never explored painting and decorating as a career option before, where do you start?

This guide tells you all you need to know about how to become a painter and decorator. You’ll discover your day-to-day duties, the qualifications and skills you’ll need, how much you could potentially earn, and what you need to consider when setting up a business.

What does a painter and decorator do?

The range of duties and jobs that professional painters and decorators are hired for is huge. That’s because every home and building is different, and every client has different ideas about what they’d like to see.

First of all, when looking at how to become a painter and decorator, it’s important to remember that the job isn’t just restricted to people’s homes. The same services are just as in demand in commercial settings like shops, and in industrial environments like offices. This is good news for you as it gives you the opportunity to differentiate your skills and business, and stand out more from the competition in your area.

From a more practical, day-to-day perspective, your responsibilities may include some or all of the following:

Mixing paint and applying it to walls, ceilings and other materials

Applying primer or undercoat

Carrying out repairs to surface, such as filling cracks

Pasting and applying wallpaper

Stripping old surfaces for new substances to be applied

Surveying and measuring environments, both for quotation and to determine the quantity of materials required

What qualifications do I need to be a painter and decorator?

Technically speaking, there is no legal requirement to become a painter and decorator. However, it’s strongly recommended that you get some formal training and qualifications behind you. Without them, it will be extremely difficult to get a job with a decorating business, which will want concrete evidence of your capabilities. Similarly, if going down the self-employed route, then customers will be more likely to trust you if they can see any reliable credentials of your skills.

The good news is that there is a wide variety of courses and qualifications you can take to get the certification you need. Perhaps one of the most common is the Painting and Decorating NVQ, starting at Level 1. This initial course gives you theoretical and practical experience of using the right materials, best practice in health and safety, the range of products available to you, and being able to mix and apply paints, varnish and sanding.

From this, you can move onto Level 2, which brings in paint and surface preparation, up-to-date techniques, and further information around business and customer management. Level 3 takes these skills to the next level and allows you to gain a Gold Advanced Craft Card, which stands you out as a highly competent painter and decorator.

Alternatively, you can go down the City & Guilds route, starting with the Basic Wallpapering course. From this you can take the Intermediate and Advanced Painting & Decorating courses, and gradually build up the knowledge and practical skills that you need over time.

Some of the courses available do have the option for online learning, but it’s important to check what the facilities are for practical training in your area.

How long does it take to become a qualified painter and decorator?

This depends on the type of courses you take, and whether you’re learning full-time or gaining your qualifications on-the-job. Using NVQs as an example, in most vocational professions it generally takes between one and two years to reach Level 3 from a standing start.

You may find some colleges and training providers offer ‘intensive’ training that allows you to gain qualifications in much shorter timeframes. However, you should never neglect the value of practical experience: you’ll never stop learning as a painter and decorator, and practice will ultimately make perfect!

What skills do I need to be a painter and decorator?

First and foremost, painting and decorating is a practical and hands-on job, so you’ll need to be good with your hands! Perhaps just as importantly, you’ll need to have a strong work ethic: you may well be required to work outdoors, in difficult conditions, and sometimes at unsociable hours like evenings and weekends.

One skill set you might not associate with the profession – but can be a real differentiator – is computer proficiency. That’s because the planning of painting and decorating is becoming increasingly digitised, with digital colour charts and paint mixing apps taking some of the guesswork out of the job. So, if you’re good with computers, it can add another useful line to your CV. Painting and decorating also requires a decent level of mathematical skills, so that you can work out quantities of materials, and formulate quotations.

If you intend to work on building sites at any time, then it will also be a legal requirement for you to gain a Construction Skills Certificate Scheme (CSCS) card.

What tools and equipment do I need?

You’ve probably already worked out that you’re going to need paint, brushes and rollers if you’re going to be a painter and decorator. But that’s only a small amount of the equipment that you’ll need. Other equipment and tools required includes (and is not necessarily limited to):

Trays for brushes and rollers, and materials for cleaning them

Dustsheets and other measures for protecting items from paint damage

Sandpaper and other abrasive items that help prepare areas for decoration

Stanley knives, spirit levels and stepladders

Suitable clothing and footwear that will keep you clean and safe

A first-aid kit in case of an accident or injury

This is by no means an exhaustive list, and you may have further requirements depending on the environment you’re working in. For example, on a building site, steel-capped boots and a hard hat will be mandatory, even if the work you’re doing isn’t especially dangerous or heavy-duty.

If you’re taking a job with a professional decorating firm, make sure you check in advance how much equipment is going to be provided. Some may lay on everything you need, while others may expect you to bring some of your own stuff with you.

How much can painters and decorators make?

The range of potential earnings on offer for professional painters and decorators is substantial, and there are two main reasons for this. The first is that the public is willing to pay a premium for access to good-quality workmanship with an excellent reputation, especially as skilled tradespeople are in particularly short supply at present. The second is that your earning power is potentially limitless if you’re self-employed or run your own business, rather than earning a fixed salary working for someone else.

According to the National Careers Service, a full-time employed painter and decorator can expect to earn anywhere between £17,000 and £32,000 a year, depending on location and experience. But if you’re running your own business, your rates (minus expenses and overheads) are up to you, meaning your earnings can increase by a substantial margin.

Business formation

Firstly, you should decide the legal status of your business, and there are two main options open to you. The first (and simplest) is to operate as a sole trader, which is preferable if you’re intending to work on your own. This means that your income and expenditure is directly tied to your own personal finances, and are assessed for tax when you fill out your Self-Assessment every year. But there is a downside: if you fall into debt, including if a claim for compensation is made against you, then you are personally liable for the bill. In the worst case scenario, your home could be at risk if you have no other way of settling the bill.

The safer, but slightly more complex option, is to set yourself up as a limited company. This means you have a degree of separation between your business finances (operated through a business bank account) and your own affairs. It also means that any debts are the responsibility of the business rather than you personally. This can make things much clearer from an operational point of view if your business will be relatively complicated, and especially if you intend to hire other people to work for you.

Setting prices and rates

The next step is to work out how much you intend to charge per hour for your services, and there are two defining factors at play here. The first is how much other firms in your area charge: you may want to charge a little less to attract business to begin with, but this will naturally limit your potential profitability.

The second consideration is your expenses, from your wages and earnings, through transport to different sites, to the materials, tools and equipment you need to do the job. When you quote for different jobs, it’s vital you take materials into account as well as labour, so that there is a decent amount left over for yourself.

Marketing and promotion

Your ideal starting point for marketing your services is to set up a simple website that details your skills and services, and link it to some social media platforms on which people can find you and enquire. However, don’t neglect the usefulness of more traditional forms of marketing: flyers, posters and adverts in your local newspapers are still often relied upon by people looking for reliable tradespeople.

Legal and insurance

When you run a business, you’ll be required to comply with a range of different legal frameworks, health and safety perhaps being one of the most important. But there are others to take into account, too, especially if you’re employing other people: you’ll need to pay Employer’s National Insurance, and take out a tradesman insurance policy that encompasses cover for employees. In any case, covering your business with specific painter and decorator insurance is always a good idea, given the potential for an accident or incident that can be disruptive and expensive.

Affordable painter and decorator insurance from Protectivity

Even the best and most experienced painters and decorators get things wrong at times – nobody is perfect, after all! The only problem is that from a business perspective, mistakes, incidents and accidents can become expensive.

At Protectivity, we provide affordable painter and decorator insurance cover specialising in small businesses. Our policies include public liability, products liability, commercial legal protection, and employers’ liability if you hire other people. That way, when unforeseen circumstances occur, you and your business won’t end up out of pocket. We now also offer insurance for your tools to help protect you should they be stolen or damaged.

Take two minutes today to take a closer look at our painter and decorator insurance policies.

Get Painters and Decorators Insurance from Protectivity

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22:14:33 GMT • 22 January 2025

How to become a massage therapist

15 August 2023

•

7 mins read

Contributors

My main focus is managing the blog and product content for the Protectivity website ensuring everything aligns wi...

Get massage therapist insurance from Protectivity

Have you ever considered how to become a massage therapist, and how to turn your skilled hands and passion for care into a career opportunity? Whether working full-time or on a self-employed basis, massage therapy could be your way to do a job that you love – and potentially earn a good living at the same time.

If you want to know how to become a massage therapist, then this guide is the perfect place to start. We’ll give you all the key information you need to know: the qualifications and skills you need to be successful, how much you could potentially earn, and how to go about setting up your own massage therapy business.

Why is massage therapy so popular?

Massage therapy is being used by more and more people, hence the rise in opportunities to make it a career. The range of massages that can be administered is huge, including sports massages that help muscles and joints, shiatsu that undoes any knots and stresses, and Swedish massages that reduce tension.

The physical benefits of massage therapy are well-known, but at a time when people’s mental wellbeing is in sharper focus, massages are increasingly being used to help the mind as well as the body. Being able to relax for a period of time, and remove all the strains and pains from the body, can make a huge difference to a person’s mood and character.

What does a massage therapist do?

Obviously, the core of your role as a massage therapist will be to deliver massages of the highest possible standard, and help your clients get the best possible results. But that’s only one part of the job.

There’s a lot of planning that goes into effective massage therapy and treatment. You’ll need to identify the areas of the body which need the most attention, and work out the best way to apply your hands to good effect. Within this, you may need to speak with the client to identify their needs and objectives, and potentially explore their lifestyle, diet and medical records as part of your planning.

Your business administration tasks will include keeping client records up-to-date; maintaining clear communication with clients before, during and after therapy; and referring clients to other medical professionals if you feel that they need further help. Connected to this, you may also be required to give advice to clients on how to maintain good physical and mental wellbeing in their day-to-day lives.

What qualifications does a massage therapist need?

While it’s true to say that it isn’t a legal requirement to get massage therapy qualifications, you’ll find it very difficult to progress your career without them. Businesses hiring massage therapists will be looking for your qualifications on your CV before pretty much everything else, while clients searching for self-employed massage therapists will want concrete proof of your credentials.

The good news is that you don’t need to commit the time and money of getting a degree to obtain the qualifications that you need. Instead, you can take more vocational courses like the International Massage Diploma, or a course certified for Continuous Professional Development (CPD). You can also explore options like a BTEC in Advanced Clinical and Sports Massage, as well as advanced vocational courses which can allow you to get trained in specific massage techniques and specialisms.

If you’re looking for an alternative that can allow you to work and train at the same time, then there may well be massage therapy apprenticeships available to you, too.

How long does it take to qualify as a massage therapist?

How long is a piece of string? There are so many different qualifications that there’s no fixed timeframe you should devote to becoming qualified. Certainly, you should expect to take anywhere between one and three years to get your credentials up to a good standard for a professional. However, you should never stop learning: there are always new techniques, opportunities and specialisms to explore, so in theory, your work to get qualified should be a constant process throughout your career.

How much do massage therapists earn?

There’s no hard and fast rule about how much you can earn as a qualified professional massage therapist. That’s because your location, level of experience, and specialist areas of expertise will all influence your earning potential. There’s also a substantial difference between working full-time for an employer, and working for yourself on a self-employed basis.

As a general rule, a full-time employed massage therapist can expect to earn around £30,000 a year, although this can be higher if you have specialisms or skills that are relatively rare or in high demand. If you work for yourself, then theoretically your earning power is limitless, depending on the hours you’re willing to work, the rates that you charge, the amount you lose to tax and expenses, and how well you market yourself.

How do I start my own massage therapy business?

If you decide to go down the self-employed route, then you’ll also have plenty of business-related duties to take on, in order to maximise your profitability and comply with rules and regulations. These include (and are not necessarily limited to):

Business type

You’ll first need to work out whether you want to operate as a sole trader or register as a limited company. While the limited company option is a little bit more complex from an administration perspective, it does give you separation between your personal finances and those of your business operation. If you run into debt or you face a substantial liability, this can give you extra protection and ensure that your home or other assets don’t end up at risk.

Rates and expenses

It’s vital to strike the right balance with the fees you charge your clients. You’ll need to take into account how much you want to earn, and how much you’re paying out in your business overheads and expenses. But you’ll also have to consider how competitive your rates are against other massage therapy businesses in your area, and avoid pricing yourself too cheap – or too expensive.

Marketing

It’s vital to get your name and your unique selling point out there, especially in a relatively saturated market like massage therapy. While social media and online promotion will play a big part, don’t overlook physical methods of advertising, such as leaflets, flyers, business cards and advertising your local paper. You should also try to leave marketing materials in places relevant to your specialism (e.g. at leisure centres if you offer sports massages).

Insurance

Insurance is strongly recommended for any small business – and if you employ anyone else to work for you, then having employer’s insurance cover is a legal requirement. Even if you provide your massages from home, you may not necessarily be covered under the terms of your home insurance, so it’s always strongly recommended to take out cover that’s specific to the nature of your business. Good cover will also protect the value of your equipment such as massage tables.

Get massage therapy insurance with Protectivity

As with every type of small business, taking out comprehensive insurance cover is crucial, particularly having specialised insurance for massage therapy.

Protectivity’s massage therapy insurance is designed with skilled entrepreneurs like you in mind. Our cover includes public liability insurance of up to £5million, professional indemnity, personal accident, equipment cover, and employers’ liability if you employ other people.

Our policies are available through flexible payment plans giving you peace of mind and the confidence to grow your business. Take a closer look at our massage therapy insurance in more detail today.

Get Massage Therapist Insurance from Protectivity

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