Government and regulators (start here)
| Resource | Use for |
|---|---|
| GOV.UK | General government guidance hub |
| HMRC guidance on GOV.UK | Tax, Self Assessment, VAT, expenses themes |
| Companies House | Company filing, accounts, officer duties (high level) |
| MoneyHelper (or successor public guidance) | Neutral money education pointers |
| ACAS | Workplace/employment relations context |
Search from GOV.UK rather than following ads.
Status and contracting
- Off-payroll working / IR35 guidance on GOV.UK
- HMRC CEST tool (inputs drive outputs — be honest)
- See our practical checklist: IR35 survival
Money and consumer-adjacent
Public guidance on saving, pensions, and scams is better than influencer PDFs. Still not a substitute for regulated advice when stakes are high — first £10k invested, money.
How Jackals uses sources
- Process claims → prefer official pages
- Product comparisons → editorial criteria, disclosed affiliates if any
- Case studies → labelled composites — case studies
- Updates → when rules move, pages should move
What we will not list
- Random Telegram "tax hacks"
- Unlicensed advice mills
- Guaranteed returns schemes
Corrections
If an official URL structure changes or we cite something outdated, tell us via Contact.
Which source answers which question
Knowing where to look saves a lot of forum reading. A quick map of the official sources above, by the question you're likely to have:
| Question | Best starting point |
|---|---|
| Do I need to register as self-employed? | GOV.UK "Check if you need to tell HMRC about additional income" tool |
| What can I claim as an expense? | GOV.UK "Expenses if you're self-employed" and, for detail, HMRC's Business Income Manual |
| Do I have to use Making Tax Digital? | GOV.UK "Find out if and when you need to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax" |
| Is this contract inside IR35? | HMRC's Check Employment Status for Tax (CEST) tool, plus IR35 survival |
| Is my savings account protected? | FSCS website, including its checker for which brands share a banking licence |
| Is this investment platform authorised? | FCA Financial Services Register |
| What are my rights in a dispute with an employer? | ACAS helpline and guidance |
| How do I chase an unpaid invoice legally? | GOV.UK guidance on late commercial payments and the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 |
How to read official guidance without getting lost
- Check the date and the tax year. GOV.UK pages show a "last updated" date. HMRC updates guidance when rules change, and older copies circulate on other sites.
- Look for the nation. Most tax is UK-wide, but income tax bands differ in Scotland, and some employment and business support differs in Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Use the HMRC manuals for edge cases. They are written for HMRC staff and are more detailed than the main guidance pages. They explain how HMRC reads the law, which is useful but not the same as the law itself.
- Know when to pay for advice. For a limited company, a large one-off sale, or anything involving property or overseas income, a qualified accountant (look for ICAEW, ACCA or ATT/CIOT membership) is worth the fee.
Related
How to use this library
Jackals pages are decision tools, not wallpaper. Pick one problem this week — pricing, IR35, invoices, structure — and run the checklist on that page. Then log what changed.
Core reading paths
New freelancer: Freelancing → Pricing → Invoicing → Client red flags
Forming a company: Starting up → Sole vs limited → Bookkeeping → Banking
Money stability: Money → Emergency fund → First £10k
External sources we respect (non-affiliate)
- GOV.UK for tax and company basics
- HMRC guidance for self-assessment and VAT
- Professional bodies for regulated advice
We link out when official pages are the right source of truth. For product kit, see Amazon UK links on tools where relevant.