self-employment

[self-em-ploi-muhnt, self-]

noun

1. the act or fact of being self-employed.

Word History and Origins

Origin of self-employment¹

First recorded in 1735–45

Example Sentences

You have to pay income tax on your earnings from employment, or profits from self-employment, above the tax-free personal allowance of £12,570.

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Self-employment rates rise dramatically as people age.

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The chancellor received £12,372 from self-employment income, which was related to book royalties and audiobook fees.

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The earnings test includes wages and self-employment income, but doesn’t include withdrawals from retirement accounts.

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Ms Egbeme added that you need to complete a self assessment if your self-employment income was more than £1,000, and for things including profit made from your hobbies and side hustles, including babysitting, selling on eBay, Vinted, Gumtree or other online platforms, including Airbnb.

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When To Use

What does self-employment mean?

Self-employment is the state of being self-employed—earning one's main income by getting paid directly for one’s work, such as by owning one's own business, as opposed to being an employee and getting paid by an employer.Self-employment is typically used in a way that refers to a person’s primary, full-time way of earning income—as opposed to working as an employee and doing freelance work on the side, for example.The term self-employed is often used by and applied to people who consider themselves business owners, freelancers, and entrepreneurs.Example: I love self-employment—my boss is amazing.