Hello Can you help me please?

[imjustagirl]

Hi, My partner is a plumber but hasnt actually done any plumbing for over 5 years. There were alot of health issues which have now all finally be sorted and he is desperate to get back to work. He has decided to go selfemployed but we are unsure as to what to do next? I know I sound a bit thick but so much has changed in a few years and I am hoping you can all give the benefit of your experience. We know he has to sit the exams?? for all the gas stuff ( I am typing the word stuff as I dont know what these things are called) Are there different exams, are some courses better than others? Are there an you would recommend in particular? What else should we be looking at? Insurances? Again is there a particular company you would say are fab? I can do so much to help ie: taxes/registering/accounts etc...but on a practical plumbing level I am useless. I really want to encourage him to do this as he really needs his self esteem back. For too long he has felt that he has not contributed to the household, we dont think that by the way, so can you help me please?:waving:

 

[AWheating]

What type of work does he do? ie. plumbing, gas etc....

it is quite hard to go self employed at this time due to low work availability and hi competition. I guess you know him best so dose he really want to be self employed or could he not get a normal direct job build his confidnece levels up and then go the self employed way when ready?

you need to contact the IR and register as self employed, you will need public liability insurance. If he wants to perform any type of gas work he will need to gain his ACS qualifications which he would have to attend a local college or training center to do.

maybe you should get him to join the forum? he may find confidence from talking to fellow trades men and gain alot of encouragment from it.

 

[diegowa]

I agree that going to be self employed will be quite tough. I suggest that you register to some agencies. There are lot plumbing agencies online and offline, you can register to them and tell them what are your skills.

 

[Dan83]

hi im self employed and these guys are right its very tough at the moment, if he wouldnt be providing your sole income though definately go for it!
my warning would be this though ive recently sat a course with the veiw to take my acs exams
ie allowing me to carry out gas work, if he wants to follow this route definately definately find an engineer he can gain his work experience with before doing any training or it would be easier to just become an astronaut!

 

[Barry98]

where abouts are you iamjustagirl?

 

[kirkgas]

if he has previously been gas qualified he will be a CATEGORY 1 and therefore fully entitled to turn up and pay £400-500 to so ACS re-assessments, realistically after 5 years i would suggest he would benefit from training on top of this so say £900 plus VAT, if he has no previuos gas quals then he will be a CATEGORY 2 and will need to attend an 8 week course plus he will need to build a portfolio of evidence which can take a few weeks or few months to complete