Being VAT registered is only an indication of turnover. Earning £40K is obviously achievable, but overheads are high, especially initially. I would say that most guys would struggle to go straight into SE, and most employed jobs pay well less than £40K.
NG wll pay over £50K, but they put hours in. I declined a job with a HES, they offer IIRC £34K basic with OTE £42K, but that is with shifts and weekends.
Do a realistic business plan before shelling out loads of cash - there is a steep low earning learning curve and, frankly, once much over 50, age begins to tell. Having said all that, if you choose your jobs carefully, and have the neck to charge a high rate, you can earn. But remember, £40k over 46 5 day weeks (remember you need holidays and bank hols, and hope to hell you don't go sick.), is a PROFIT of £174 per day, EVERY day, after expenses, some of which you will not have even thought about. To earn £80K, is a profit of £348 per day (£43.50 per hour). I am not saying that NO RGI earns that, but not many - and I would say you need to be selling stuff at a mark up to manage it.
But good luck, and be ready for CC and CCC criticism here. When you get qualified, sign up to the Combustion Chamber, where they will rip into you, but you will find a wealth of info.
