|February 20, 2026
OTE Meaning: What Does OTE Mean in Salary?
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It’s legal to have two jobs at the same time – however, check the terms of your contract with the employer to make sure you’re not in breach.
Also, there are scenarios where you could be self-employed but work solely for one employer, if compliant with the government’s off-payroll or IR35 rules.
Since we first wrote this article in early 2024, a few things have changed or evolved:
April 2024 saw the introduction of a statutory offset mechanism. This means if HMRC reclassifies a worker as employed under IR35, the company can offset the tax already paid by the contractor against its PAYE liability – avoiding double taxation.
HMRC also refreshed its CEST tool in 2024, adding clearer questions about substitution and control, to better align with recent case law.
Then in August 2024, the Department for Business and Trade published a review on employment status frameworks. It reaffirmed the existing three categories – employee, worker, self‑employed – but promised more consistent enforcement guidance by HMRC and the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate.
From the 2025-26 tax year, Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax Self Assessment (ITSA) is being phased in for sole traders and landlords earning over £50,000 (from April 2026, and over £30,000 from April 2027).
Being self-employed but working for an employer can cause some confusion, so we’re here to clear things up.
There are a couple of reasons why you might be thinking, can I be self-employed and employed simultaneously?
You could be self-employed, but end up working full-time hours for one company, without receiving income via PAYE as its employees do.
Alternatively, you could be a full-time employee at a company and receive a PAYE salary, but also have a side business earning enough money for you to file a self assessment tax return.
Based on ONS employment data, from April to June 2023, 4.31 million (13%) were self-employed people and 28.46 million (87%) were employees, reports the UK Parliament.
By mid‑2025, ONS figures show around 4.4 million self‑employed workers, about 13% of the labour market.
In this guide we’ll explore the different employment opportunities presented by these two statuses. Also, we explain whether it’s legal to be both at the same time.
First of all, what do the two terms mean? If you are employed, you tend to:
You can also ask for paid time off in lieu after working overtime at some companies.
And in self-employment, you:
However, according to employment law, can you be both employed and self-employed? And can you be self-employed but working for an employer on full-time hours?
It’s legal to have two jobs at the same time. For example, you could be an employee at a restaurant in the evenings and a self-employed language tutor during the day.
So, can you be employed and self employed simultaneously? Yes, you can.
However, always check the contract with your employer first, in case it has any stipulations about taking on extra work while you are their employee.
Later in this guide, we’ll explain how to pay your fair share of income tax when you are employed and self-employed at the same time.
Why would you do this though – and is it right for you? Advantages include:
The main downside is the risk of burnout. It can be very tiring to have two jobs at once and the risk is that your performance will suffer in one, or both, lines of work if you’re fatigued.
Alternatively, there are several reasons why you might work for one employer all the time, but you’re self-employed.
For example, let’s say that this is your employment status – as a freelancer you have a close working relationship with a single client. Either:
However, be careful. HMRC is wary of companies using self-employed contractors as if they were full-time employees, to avoid paying pensions or National Insurance. For employment law purposes they are disguised employees according to HMRC.
The government has guidance on off-payroll working or IR35 rules, to ensure this doesn’t happen. There is a ‘check employment status for tax (CEST) tool’ to determine if you are technically employed or self-employed for the work, or whether IR35 rules apply.
For example, if the employer can define your working hours, HMRC may view you as employed rather than working for yourself. Here is a flowchart explaining the different rules for contractors.
Whether you are a freelancer with one client, or a full-time employee with an extra side hustle, you’ll likely need to complete a self assessment tax return.
Remember, the deadline to pay any outstanding tax you owe is the end of January (for the previous tax year). Otherwise there’s a penalty fee!
Below a certain income threshold, there is a tax-free personal allowance. At the time of writing, it’s £12,570. After that, you pay 20% on taxable income up to £50,270 and 40% between that and £125,140 – beyond, it’s 45%.
Crucially, if you are both employed and self-employed, both forms of income should feature on your self assessment tax return. However, you won’t pay the same tax twice.
Working for an employer means you are hired under a contract of employment to perform specific duties in return for a wage or salary. Your employer controls key aspects such as working hours and responsibilities, and also handles tax and National Insurance contributions through PAYE.
The two-year rule refers to the length of continuous employment needed before gaining certain statutory rights in the UK. After two years with the same employer, employees are entitled to claim unfair dismissal, receive statutory redundancy pay, and benefit from extended notice periods.
For employers, allowing staff to work from home can reduce overhead costs, boost productivity and increase employee satisfaction. It often leads to fewer absences, access to a wider talent pool and improved staff retention thanks to better work-life balance. For more productivity tips, find out how to make work go by faster!
Learn from seasoned industry experts with our 1-on-1 Coaching service!
In short, yes, you can be self-employed but working for an employer too.
We hope you enjoyed this blog. For more insights and guidance around interview advice, take a look at the following articles.
If you have any questions about the world of work, there’s a good chance the answer is on our blog. Recently we have written a conflict resolution model guide on how to use one at work, plus what managing upwards means, for example.
And if you want to be employed at a new company but need help writing a new CV, look no further.
That’s what the PurpleCV team are experts at, so please contact us for support or if you have any queries.
