Yeah the property is rented...never thought of that!

Can't imagine I'd run up £100 a week in expenses...I get free telephone calls (part of house package), energy costs would just be the cost to fire the kiln, which would be between £3-£4 per firing. The shop that would sell my stuff is in walking distance, so no expenses there, although they'd want 30% commission, so profit would be minus commission/online selling fees?...Can't imagine I'd use an accountant? Is that standard? So, say for example over a month I earnt Week 1:£70 Week 2: £0 Week 3: £500 Week 4: 300. That would be £870. Materials cost £20, Postage cost £60. That would leave £800 profit. Say I fired the kiln 4 times that month...I'd take off the £16 energy expenses, leaving £784 profit. I read that if you're "disabled" you can work 16 hours minimum, is that ESA or DLA? So if I earnt £784 in profit in one month...how would I know that before hand to tell HMRC for WTC calculations? What if the month after I earnt say £300 profit and the month after that I earnt £1600...I wouldn't have a clue what the figure would be in order to calculate WTC, CT and HB. It all seems really confusing! So if I earnt say £15000 in one year...I'd pay tax on the whole £15000 or on the £5000 (minus £10000 allowance) and the tax would all be payable in one lump sum once a year? So I'd obviously have to put that aside in a bank account... Is NI paid yearly too or monthly? If I don't earn enough for WTC how does it work with ESA? I stay on that but lose anything I earn? Advise from professionals sounds like a good idea!

I'm currently in receipt of ESA (WRAG) after having to leave my job a few months back due to medical reasons. I'm doing a OU degree and volunteering but would really like to start earning some money again. As my health is pretty up and down I figure something I'm able to do at home would be ideal. I'm very artistic and a friend has offered to give me her kiln and pottery supplies...I did Ceramics in college years ago so I know what I'm doing. The whole "self employed" thing really scares me though...I would have no idea what I'm doing and would be scared about not earning enough to pay the bills. I'm aware that if I work over a certain number of hours per week I can claim WTC, does this apply to CT and HB too? This would obviously affect my ESA? How is WTC worked out if I have no idea how much money I would be earning...it would all depend on sales wouldn't it? So some weeks I might earn nothing at all, whilst others could be hundreds. It really would be luck of the draw. I am aware of a couple of shops that would be interested in stocking some of my stuff, I know the owners...but this would be me getting paid when they sell the item, plus they'd take commission. The idea is very appealing...getting away from DWP would be great for a start and working at my own pace would really help health wise. I'm just worried about how they'd work out how much rent/CT and WTC I'd have to pay/receive if I don't know how much I'd earn. Do you have to "earn" a certain amount per week to be eligible or is it based on hours? How does the self employed tax stuff work? I'm aware I can earn up to 10,000 per year without having to pay tax, but I still have to file them, right? Receipts for everything...If I'm selling online, what info would the tax people need? Invoice printouts? How does the "money earnt" thing work...Say for example I sell £5000 worth of stuff in 12 months...but I spend £1000 on new materials and £500 went on shipping/packaging...that would mean I only earnt £3500 or do they count what your expenses/out goings are as income? Stuff like firing the kiln would be around £4 a go, that would be expenses? Like I said...no idea how it works. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

Because last night I was unaware what she had paid and assumed she had bought a one zone ticket for £2.10. When she come home this morning I got the full story and the receipt that shows she spent £2.50 and was given the wrong ticket by the shopkeeper.

Taken from Citizens Advice website... It’s not a criminal offence to refuse to pay the penalty fare, but if you don't or if you only offer to pay the original fare and not the penalty fare, you can be taken to a civil court to pay the outstanding amount. If the revenue protection officer thinks that you have been travelling with intent to avoid paying the fare, this is a criminal offence and you might be prosecuted. It's possible to be issued with a penalty fare and then be prosecuted for travelling with intent to avoid paying the fare. However, if you're found guilty, the penalty fare should be refunded. There was no intent, she had a ticket and had actually paid the full amount as the receipt proves.

I'll actually be appealing the penalty. She asked for an "child all zones" and paid £2.50, she gave me the receipt this morning when she got home (details were sketchy last night as sent through bbm and she was staying out for the night) and I've spoken to the shop keeper who remembers her coming in and said he must have given her the wrong one by mistake. My daughter is fully aware she should have the correct ticket (although wasn't actually aware there was even another type of saveaway), she didn't "decide to pop along", the journey was planned from the beginning and she went straight there. Thanks anyway.

Ooook then, useful!

My daughter went to the beach today and used a Saveaway. She went into the shop, asked for a child saveaway, paid and scratched off the date. On the way home she was fined by an inspector because the saveaway she had was a "one zone" ticket (£2.10) and not an all zones ticket (£2.50). She wasn't even aware there was two different types. Can she legally be fined this £20 and what happens if I don't pay it? It was a genuine mistake, not her trying to swindle Merseyrail out of 40p.

Took a policy out with Tesco 11th June. Paid £286 as an advance payment and then £155 per month after that. July's payment went out as normal on the 11th via DD. We've now moved house and upon ringing Tesco discovered they won't insure the area I've moved to, so they're cancelling my policy. They've given me 7 days to find another insurer and my policy ends on the 3rd August. Will I get my advance payment back? I'm going to have to pay another company now another advance payment.

More developments... Ebay have suspended my account and apparently written to all of my previous buyers (all of whom have received their items and left positive feedback) sending them mails stating they're from Paypals Fraud Investigation team and that if they have done business with me they're to request a refund if they haven't received their items. I'm furious and terrified! Why are they sending mails from a fraud team? Do they suspect me of fraud?! I'm half expecting the police to turn up and arrest me on Paypals behalf :s So not only do they close my accounts and put my account into the negative but they're now accusing me of fraud and blackening my name with anyone I happen to have sold something to in the past! Anyone have any experience of this fraud thingy, is it something I should be worried about?

Thanks for the reassurance, I have a letter in the planning stages but no proof of collection really, if anything I gave HIM a receipt. I was told by a friend that bailiffs can remove cars. Are DCA's and Bailiffs two different things? Will I get a CCJ through this? :s Sorry for all the questions, just never been in debt before :s

I recently got ripped off on Ebay. I was selling a lot of old gold that I'd inherited from my grandmother about 10 years ago. I sold the gold (About £2500 worth) on Ebay. The buyer paid by Paypal and came to the house to collect the gold. I then withdrew the cash from my Paypal account to my bank account and paid for a holiday with it. The buyer then opened an "item not received" case about 3 weeks later. I was unable to provide tracking as the items had been collected. Paypal immediately limited my Paypal account and asked me to provide receipts to show the items belonged to me and to provide a tracking number. I could provide neither, Paypal reimbursed the buyer which left my Paypal account in the negative for the full amount. They told me they will be passing the debt on to a collections agency. I've spoke with my bank and cancelled the Paypal access to my account and I've cancelled my bank card and ordered a new one. I spoke with the police who didn't really offer much help other than to say speak to Paypal about it as I had no proof the jewellery had been collected. The guy I sold the gold to won't take my calls. I'm just worried that this debt collections agency will try and gain access to my home or take my car. Can they do this?