Rate conversion
Convert contractor rates without overstating income
Understand hourly, daily, weekly, monthly and annual conversions—and why a realistic working pattern matters.
Read the guide →Practical UK guidance
Make the assumptions as clear as the arithmetic.
These guides explain the decisions behind a contractor calculation. They are written for general planning and link to official sources where employment status or rights matter.
Guide library
Select the relevant planning question
Reviewed 5 August 2026. General information only, not personal financial or legal advice.
Capacity planning
Choose realistic billable hours, days and weeks
Build a working-year assumption that allows for leave, administration, gaps between contracts and other non-billable time.
Read the guide →Fair comparisons
Compare contract revenue with salary carefully
Separate invoiced revenue from salary, benefits, business costs, tax and take-home pay before comparing two opportunities.
Read the guide →A practical sequence
Start with capacity, then compare the money.
First decide which hours, days and weeks can genuinely be invoiced. Then convert the rate or forecast revenue using that schedule. Only after that should gross contract revenue be compared with salary, benefits, business costs and personal deductions.
This order prevents a precise-looking annual figure from hiding a perfect working year. It also keeps a straightforward rate calculation separate from employment-status, tax and legal questions that need different evidence.
See how calculations are selected and tested →Clear boundaries
General guidance, with the important limits stated.
The guides explain planning concepts and link to primary sources where rights or official processes matter. They do not determine employment status, calculate personal tax or recommend a market rate.
Use relevant evidence
Base working patterns on contracts, timesheets, invoices and a realistic pipeline.
Keep labels accurate
Gross revenue, salary and take-home pay describe different financial amounts.
Check official sources
Use linked GOV.UK or Acas guidance when rights or employment status matter.