As a spare time freelancer, you are best as a sole trader than setting up a company so no need to register name. You do however need to tell Inland Revenue and fill in a self-employed sheet alongside your main tax form each year. From the sounds of it you wont be earning loads so need to get a class 2 national insurance exemption certificate as you dont need to pay these if earning under a certain amount. As well as the legality of it, it is good to register with IR as can claim expenses for your freelancing such as materials, website/portfolio hosting (like freelance alliance), percentage of household bills if home office, equipment for that office... even if it adds up to more than you earn from it as new business start up often can cause initial loss.

Can anyone recommend home (contents & buildings) insurance company who dont penalise you for working in creative industries or being a freelancer working from home? I am a freelance theatre designer & community artist. Many companies will not even give me a quote. My partner is a web designer and occasionally has freelance clients come to the house for meetings which is another no no for most companies even though just a couple a month not several a day which is really what that clause is to cover. Other freelances most have this problem. How do you deal with it? Do you bend the truth to fit? Or just put up with paying twice as much as average?