Freelancers working together. TAX?

[Alice34]

The situation is as follows, two freelancers are intending to work together. They intend to provide different skills and services to each project and by joining forces would be able to work for a wider range of clients. Eventually they may consider opening a company, but for the time being would only want to test the water and essentially not change their individual self-employed status.

Freelancer A is dealing with the management of the project and Freelancer B is basically just supplying services. The intention is to invoice the client for an entire project by Freelancer A. Freelancer B will then invoice Freelancer A for the proportion of work provided. They do not wish to invoice clients separately for the work done, because a) clients would consequently have to deal with 2 people instead of one person, which means a lower likelihood to be commissioned and b) both don't wish to be in direct competition with one another.

In terms of taxes, what would be the implications? Would Freelancer A be paying Income tax and NI contributions on the overall amount, only for Freelancer B having to do the same on the left over amount? Or would Freelancer A be able to offset this as cost or expenses, thus only taxing their share of the income whilst Freelancer B will do the same with their respective share?

Your input on this is much appreciated.