Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many sole traders (a) registered and (b) deregistered each day in 2024.

HMRC does not hold the data requested relating to people added to and removed from PAYE. The PAYE population is made up of around 35 million individuals, and precise numbers change frequently as customers take up their first PAYE employment or pension, start new employments or pensions, and leave old ones. Increasing numbers of customers also take up secondary or additional employments or pensions, and have other income sources which may or may not be taxed through PAYE.

HMRC does not hold the data requested relating specifically to sole traders registering for Self Assessment. There are around 12.1 million taxpayers who are expected to submit Self Assessment tax returns by 31 January 2025. That population includes sole traders, some of whom will have commenced or ceased trading during the 2023/24 tax year.