Protect the business tasks only you can currently see
Separate urgent compliance from work that can be paused, delegated or renegotiated. Your actual legal status determines many rights and benefits.
A continuity plan for reduced capacity
Give access only to the tasks a trusted backup has agreed and is authorised to do.
- Confirm whether you are a sole trader, partner, company director or worker under another status.
- List tax, payroll, Companies House, licence, insurance and filing deadlines.
- Map essential clients, suppliers, contracts, subscriptions and account access.
- Choose a trusted backup for clearly limited operational tasks.
- Update cash flow for lower income, refunds, delays and unavoidable costs.
- Check benefits, business-interruption or income-protection insurance and Access to Work.
- Contact HMRC, creditors or clients before a deadline is missed where possible.
Questions for an accountant or adviser
The answer may differ between the person and their company.
- Which deadlines cannot be postponed and where can more time be requested?
- Does my employment or business status change benefit entitlement?
- Does any insurance cover interruption, incapacity or key-person loss?
- What tax and payroll consequence follows from reducing drawings, salary or work?
- What authority and security should a backup person receive?
Renegotiate before disappearing
Give a realistic next update rather than a promise you cannot keep.
“My capacity is temporarily reduced for health reasons. I propose this revised deadline or handover and will update you on this date.”
“I expect difficulty meeting this deadline because of serious illness. Please explain the available time-to-pay or support arrangement and confirm it in writing.”
Reduce the business to what must keep moving
Cancer can affect both personal capacity and the systems that keep a small business compliant. A continuity plan should protect clients, tax, payroll, data and cash without handing somebody unrestricted access.
First establish the legal and working status involved: sole trader, partnership, company director, employee of a company or a mixture. Benefit, sick-pay and tax consequences differ, so a label such as “self-employed” may not answer every question.
List immovable deadlines and cash commitments, then decide what can pause, be delegated or be renegotiated. Give a trusted backup the minimum access and written authority required, with clear limits around banking, personal data and contracts.
Self-employed people do not usually receive Statutory Sick Pay as self-employed workers, but Universal Credit, New Style ESA, Access to Work, insurance or other support may be relevant. Check current eligibility and report trading changes accurately.
A practical way through it
Use the parts that fit your situation and leave the rest.
- Map the next eight weeksList treatment, tax, payroll, filing, licence, renewal, client and supplier dates, marking which have legal or cash-flow consequences.
- Triage the workIdentify contracts that must be completed, can be subcontracted with permission, can be paused or need an honest revised deadline.
- Set limited backup accessDocument who may contact clients, access systems, approve payments or act in an emergency. Use separate accounts and revoke access later.
- Protect cash flowPrepare a weekly forecast, invoice completed work promptly and contact HMRC, lenders, landlords or suppliers before missing a commitment.
- Check personal supportUse a tailored benefit calculation and review income protection, critical illness and Access to Work through the correct national routes.
- Record business changesTell the relevant tax, benefit, insurer and company services about reduced trading, closure or status changes when required.
What this can look like
When a sole trader faces a treatment block
Rina has three client deadlines during surgery recovery. Her partner can answer email but should not see health records or control the business bank account.
A proportionate plan
Rina contacts clients early with revised delivery choices and checks whether subcontracting is permitted.
She creates a limited shared inbox and written response guide without sharing her main password or unrelated personal files.
Her accountant checks filing dates and status, while a welfare adviser reviews benefits using realistic reduced earnings.
Build a continuity plan
- List deadlines, clients, payroll, tax, insurance, licences and suppliers.
- Give a trusted backup only the access and authority genuinely needed.
Check income support
- Self-employed people normally cannot claim SSP, but ESA or Universal Credit may be possible.
- Access to Work may help eligible self-employed people with disability-related costs.
Report and renegotiate
- Tell relevant services about reduced trading or closure.
- Contact HMRC, lenders, insurers and key creditors early when a deadline cannot be met.
A manageable next step
What you could do now
- Write a one-page continuity plan.
- Check benefit and Access to Work eligibility.
- Contact an accountant or adviser about your exact business status.
Checked sources
Read the original guidance
We summarise carefully and link to the source so you can check the full, most current information. Sources were checked 9 September 2026.