There are now a record 4.8 million self-employed people in the UK as more and more people opt to go it alone.

Self-employed workers now make up over 14 percent of those in employment, with reasons ranging from having no choice due to unforeseen circumstances to a better fit with everyday life.

But being self-employed can bring its challenges.

PayPlan recently conducted some research into the attitudes and anxieties of self-employed workers and found that self-employed people under 65 years old owe on average 36.4 per cent more personal debt than those who are not self-employed.

Despite this financial risk, self-employed people today are starting out young, with the study highlighting that almost a third (32.6 per cent) decided to branch out independently before their 35th birthday.

Advice and information on issues relevant to the self- employed isn’t always readily available, so we’ve teamed up with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) to produce a series of helpful guides whether you are new to self-employment or been doing it for a long time.