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Setting up a business involves complying with a range of legal requirements. Find out which ones apply to you and your new enterprise.

Every business needs to be aware of its obligations under minimum wage and equal pay laws, as well as recent pensions auto-enrolment changes.

What particular regulations do specific types of business (such as a hotel, or a printer, or a taxi firm) need to follow? We explain some of the key legal issues to consider for 200 types of business.

While poor governance can bring serious legal consequences, the law can also protect business owners and managers and help to prevent conflict.

You must comply with legal restrictions on employees' working hours and time off, or risk claims, enforcement action and even prosecution.

The right employment policies are an essential part of effective staff management. Make sure any policy is clear and well communicated to employees.

Whether you want to raise finance, join forces with someone else, buy or sell a business, it pays to be aware of the legal implications.

While sick employees need to be treated fairly, you need to ensure that 'sickness' is not being used as cover for unauthorised absence.

Marketing matters. Marketing drives sales for businesses of all sizes by ensuring that customers think of their brand when they want to buy.

Most pregnant employees are entitled to maternity leave and maternity pay, while new fathers are entitled to paternity leave and paternity pay.

Commercial disputes can prove time-consuming, stressful and expensive, but having robust legal agreements can help to prevent them from occurring.

As well as undermining morale, illegal discrimination can lead to workplace grievances. Employee discrimination is covered by the Equality Act 2010.

Whether your business owns or rents premises, your legal liabilities can be substantial. Commercial property law is complex, but you can avoid common pitfalls.

Home, remote and lone workers are becoming increasingly commonplace. Key issues include communication and how to manage and motivate people remotely.

With information and sound advice, living up to your legal responsibilities to safeguard your employees, customers and visitors need not be difficult or costly.

The right approach to consulting with and providing information to your employees can improve employee motivation and performance.

As information technology continues to evolve, legislation must also change. It affects everything from data protection and online selling to internet policies for employees.

Disciplinary and grievance issues can be a major burden to employers. Putting in place and following the right procedures is essential.

Following the right dismissal and redundancy procedures helps protect your business and minimise the risk of a legal dispute at tribunal.

Intellectual property (IP) isn't solely relevant to larger businesses or those involved in developing innovative new products: all products have IP.

Employment tribunal claims are a worrying prospect for any employer. A tribunal case is a no-win situation – even if the claim is unjustified.

Knowing how and when you plan to sell or relinquish control of your business can help you to make better decisions and achieve the best possible outcome.

From bereavement, wills, inheritance, separation and divorce to selling a house, personal injury and traffic offences, learn more about your personal legal rights.

Etsy sees big rise in sellers as side hustles take off

8 June 2021

The number of active Etsy sellers almost doubled in 2020 as almost two million people worldwide looked for new ways to earn money from home during the pandemic.

A new study by Money.co.uk has found that the number of people using Etsy to sell products rose from 2.69 million active accounts in 2019 to 4.63 million in 2020 as many people decided to turn their hobbies into thriving businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Big cities around the world saw a significant rise in the number of people setting up their own businesses as many people were furloughed or lost their jobs.

The findings suggest that London is the side hustle capital of the UK, with over 1.1 million products being sold by Londoners on Etsy in 2020. The most popular business category in the city is home and living (which includes homewares and crafts), followed by jewellery, art and collectibles. With each product averaging £10.57 per item, these businesses are potentially bringing income of £11 million to entrepreneurial Londoners running a side hustle.

Other UK cities where online side hustles are booming are Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Southampton. In global terms, New York has the largest number of Etsy listings, with 2.9 million in total contributing, on average, $43.8 million (£31m) to Etsy sellers.

When it comes to business types, the most popular category by far, accounting for 25% of all Etsy sellers, is home and living. This includes everything from furniture to crafts. Art and collectibles is the second most popular side hustle with 21% of Etsy sellers in this category. Jewellery comes in third place, with 15% of Etsy sellers having listings in this category. Sellers in electronics and pet supplies stand out from the crowd - the findings show that just 1% of all Etsy stores have products listed in this category.

Written by Rachel Miller.

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