I'm in a bit of a dilemma and not quite sure what steps to take in order to resolve my problem.
I have been working for an IT firm for 6 months now (since August 2008), and am new to the UK. I have hassled them to put my on the payroll with no luck, so I am stuck being a freelancer (which it seems may be in my favor anyway). They also told me that they would sort out my tax, which hasn't happened, and I am having to sort it out myself. First of all, what are the legal requirements to freelance, and what steps do I need to take in order to be on the right side of the law regarding this.
Secondly, when and how do I go about paying tax on my income without the assistance of an accountant? (I appraoched the company accountant and he wanted a ridiculous amount of money for what I imagine is a very straight-forward procedure).
Any help would be greatly appreciated, I really want to get all of this sorted out ASAP.