All News

Summary

Right and wrong doesn’t really exist on a platform seeing itself as social. But there is a sweet spot.

Written by Matt Craven
Summary

Three more avoidance schemes to withdraw from if you’re a contractor get ‘named and shamed.’

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Off-payroll advisers urge limited company workers to take heed of the terms, because courts are shining a light on what’s stated in the written agreement.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

‘Unpredictability’ clouds the labour market, on the back of cost-fears and pent-up covid demand appearing to go in the opposite direction to skills shortages.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

A very different starting 11 (with no substitution to boot) is handed to the soccer pundit, to explain why HMRC rightly blew the whistle on his status.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Hopeful, fearful, and even resigned to it not mattering. Other than being anti-Sunak, UK contracting is mixed about the top job being up for grabs.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

‘Proactive transparency’ can bring brollies out of the shadows, potentially even to lance the boil that keeps getting inflamed, often by looking only at the legal position.

Written by Crawford Temple
Summary

On the back of one-time IR35 critic Sajid Javid resigning, the Treasury boss who snubbed directors and imposed 2021’s off-payroll rules walks too, leaving Boris Johnson further in the lurch.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Contractors, the FSCA, and actual victims of Best Employment Services say eight years banned isn’t punishment enough.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Accreditation body backtracks on banning brollies from pocketing accrued pay, in what's being described as an 'open-and-shut case of the tail wagging the dog.'

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

But the optimism was only in the short-term, and before record-breaking inflation started to hurt.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Experts can’t find any trace of ‘IFCP’ -- apparently the UK’s ‘most prominent professional membership association for contractor providers.’

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Running more than one remote contract at a time, on the sly, is a ruse with consequences we could all end up reaping.

Written by Matt Collingwood
Summary

Despite liability resting with umbrella companies in cases like ESL’s, it’s not open-season for you with your contractor expenses.

Written by Crawford Temple
Summary

Excitement still surrounds HPVs, but the elitist universities’ list could put off the best, brightest, most exotic minds.

Written by Arshia Hashmi
Summary

'Highly technical' court verdict against ESL makes its boss decide to bring his role with the umbrella compliance body to a close.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Posing as a contractor umbrella company, a promoter with ‘chutzpah’ joins the taxman’s blacklist.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

‘Reasonable care, skill and diligence’ is required of PSCs. So don’t splurge, fail to file, or put doggie treats on expenses.

Written by Matt Collingwood
Summary

Lawyers, tax experts and accountants asked to give the ‘straight answers’ that the Treasury and taxman won’t.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Service providers were recognised last night for their efforts in supporting contractors. 

Written by cukAdmin
Summary

‘Separate yourself from the herd’ – and other top tips for contractors daunted by HMRC gearing up to test the untested.

Written by David Harmer
Summary

Disqualified for eight years, not a lifetime, experts say the director of Best Employment Services ‘got off lightly.’

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Soaring costs for organisations shone a favourable light last month on non-permanent hires.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Objections to Reg 80 determinations hit the Revenue, which can’t fix any ‘timeline’ for when it will respond to a single appeal.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

‘Token gestures.’ ‘Forced bribes.’ Before the PM announces even a single measure, contractors aren’t biting.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Either as a business or consumer (or both), independent techies can now help shape the UK’s National Data Strategy.

Written by Gerrish Legal
Summary

The effects of Disguised Remuneration on ‘family formation, stability and breakdown’ have been the total opposite to what the taxman said they would be.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

APSCo says a trio of routes for techies from abroad can’t be depended on to fill the short to medium term skills gap.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

The Public Accounts Committee’s findings are cause to worry for companies, taxpayers and our economy, experts warn.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Lenders starting to test borrowers’ exposure to the cost of living crisis means lock-ins will take longer to put in place.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Some in the contractor sector admit to nursing a ‘few headaches’ – even before the four-day bank holiday weekend started.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

With interest rate rises seeming far from over, remortgaging never looked so appealing -- even if it gives you a sting in the short-term.

Written by John Yerou
Summary

The drawbacks of a new digital identity scheme will bite hardest where its potential is needed the most.

Written by Keith Rosser
Summary

What MPs on the Public Accounts Committee have recommended; why, and when they want to hear how the taxman is getting on with implementation.

Written by Chartergates
Summary

A ‘not doing enough’ taxman is told to stop ‘fiddling’ and find fixes for the ‘structural problems’ in his ‘poorly implemented’ off-payroll rules.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

'A kaleidoscope of issues requiring a kaleidoscope of solutions,' is among the realties we tried to impress upon the UK’s DLME.

Written by Keith Rosser
Summary

Issuing an ultimatum to walk works wonders for a contractor given umbrellas she didn’t want to use.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Contractor hiring body APSCo asks Rishi Sunak to probe an unfairness at best; an abuse at worst.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

The government patting itself on the back on IR35 isn’t what’s irking contractors' fatigued advisers, who want ‘less talk more action.’

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Pay premiums persist, even if demand for temporary techies was way ‘off its peak’ in April.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Better for the environment, worse for wellbeing? Studies on WFH increasingly say it’s exactly the opposite.

Summary

FCSA’s Chris Bryce says the furore about umbrellas withholding monies is easy to understand. The legal position; less so.

Written by Chris Bryce
Summary

Standing back to take in the whole picture of the factual matrix is the unifying factor of numerous IR35 judgments.

Summary

Professional Passport CEO Crawford Temple on why, contrary to popular belief, regulation isn’t the best answer.

Written by Crawford Temple
Summary

With the government excluding an employment bill amid ‘rife’ non-compliance, it’s left to Margaret Beels to do what ministers ‘unsurprisingly’ are shirking.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Amid more imposter companies registering with Companies House to commit fraud, one victim fears the end isn’t even in sight.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

A small challenger group, or 85% of all contractor accountants? Regardless of which is proved to be the true scale, an HMRC win would have a big impact.

Written by Matt Fox
Summary

While advisers bicker about a bloody nose or not for the taxman, one limited company director must prepare to have her status picked apart for the fourth time.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

‘Freelance’ in many senses of the term they may be, but two HMRC-hit presenters worked very differently to IT contractors.

Written by Seb Maley
Summary

The Loan Charge and Taxpayer Fairness APPG wants ‘enlightening’ submissions on the HMRC policy added to by experts.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

The radio presenter is found wanting on a range of status factors, to the tune of £140,000.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Fresh from clearing JSA, the compliance group is told of ‘a lot, lot more’ to come than just a holiday pay pocketing allegation.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

The IR35 reform-induced trend of unwilling employment? Like PSLs and holiday pay, ministers owe it to work-seekers to intervene.

Written by Andy Chamberlain
Summary

‘Absolutely sickening’ of government to push bonafide business owners into ‘benefit-less’ employment.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Just like CVLs, insolvencies are going in the wrong direction for the recovery effort. So let’s all hope IR35 determinations continue to turn the corner.

Written by Matt Fox
Summary

With HMRC pursuing both accountants and contractors under MSC rules, the time for action is now.

Written by Kate Cottrell
Summary

Log-on to an accountant’s webinar on cyber-security as a PSC, now that hackers have undone a string of contractor service providers.

Written by Nadia Kadhim
Summary

The TV presenter goes off-script to tell viewers what he really thinks of the taxman.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

The Loan Charge and Taxpayer Fairness APPG is set to reveal the ‘awful situation people are in.’

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Despite it being 15 years overdue, and him still not ‘cutting off the head of the snake,’ the taxman’s new blacklist is being welcomed.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

The game of two halves is also a game of opinions – a bit like IR35, which another Sky Sports presenter has been defeated under.

Written by Andy Vessey
Summary

Sympathies abound but unless the law changes, brollies get regulated, or the EASI intervenes, ‘Faustian deals’ look set to continue.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

More contractor accountants getting assessed as MSCPs is ‘obvious’ but, for now, one firm is forcefully fighting back.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

March saw temporary tech opportunities expand (again), but beware a stabilising, including in software development.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Chancellor’s ‘whopping’ fall from grace could be cushioned by his wife now agreeing to pay UK tax on dividends.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

‘Just because you can doesn’t mean that you should.’ And other tax/life lessons that Akshata Murty’s status row can teach us.

Written by Carolyn Walsh
Summary

Contractors who are directors are wating for the other shoe to drop. Here’s what we know so far.

Written by Emily Coltman
Summary

Drilling down into the worrying reality that it’s now harder than ever to work on a contract basis -- courtesy of the taxman.

Written by Andy Robinson
Summary

Penalties being issuable from today for off-payroll non-compliance could scare clients into IR35 status caution.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Out of the blue yet predictably, HMRC sends assessments to PSCs and their accountants -- as it tests ‘the floodgates.’

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

The April 1st launch of digital tax accounts is here. Don’t be a fool -- get clued up and compliant.

Summary

Dry as a bone is an understatement to describe the chancellor’s statement. And that’s being kind.

Written by Natalie Bowers
Summary

Trade body wants a multi-organisational response to ‘strike off the clones’ and ‘pursue the perpetrators.’

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

The Mirror reports on the contractor sector’s new fraud, with serious implications for ‘brollies and their users’ not being prevented by the BEIS agency.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Rishi Sunak’s ‘here’s what we’ll do later’ package fails to engage contractor recruitment bosses.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

The fees for criminal record checks are refreshingly, bucking the current prices trend.

Written by Keith Rosser
Summary

Money Saving Expert agrees -- for those looking for the best mortgage deal, banking on anything less than a broker isn’t a risk worth taking.

Written by John Yerou
Summary

A contactless card; someone else’s Kio Rio and even his wife’s reported dividends. The chancellor’s response following his mini-Budget has not been on the norm.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

The mini-Budget untangled, with expert analysis on what the chancellor did and didn’t announce.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

‘Nothing much’ new from the chancellor affecting contractors gives pause to tot up how much he’s giving, and taking away.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Rishi Sunak delivers his mini-Budget, ‘to build a stronger, more secure economy for the UK.’

Written by cukAdmin
Summary

Contrary to the minister’s letter, the communicating, listening, learning taxman simply didn’t make an appearance before either off-payroll rollout.

Written by Seb Maley
Summary

New FCSA code set to specify to Workwell/JSA and other member-umbrella companies that ‘use or lose it’ on contractor holiday pay isn’t acceptable.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

In full: Workwell’s statement responding to what it’s accused of doing to a contractor when it was JSA Group.

Written by cukAdmin
Summary

Entries have now been sorted, scrutinised and judged by the panel to create impressive shortlists.

Written by cukAdmin
Summary

Contractors will for once hope advisers are wrong; and HMRC is right -- that it’s ‘too early’ for any extension to be a 'done deal.'

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Details are sought from contractors, to help the Treasury move towards ‘compassionate’ from ‘failing to provide’.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Three staffing agencies have been hacked – not that any of them are letting on, to you or the ICO. Here’s what contractors can do.

Written by Matt Collingwood
Summary

Opportunities for techies on a temporary basis return ‘energetically’ to their pre-Christmas levels.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Generic statement, or political message? Either way, the taxman wants the aim of the Health & Social Care Levy communicated.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

The off-payroll rules are a disaster much of the government’s own making. But as the PAC effectively got told, ‘not to worry.’

Written by Kate Cottrell
Summary

Taxman asked to do better than the minister on disguised remuneration, by giving ‘direct answers’ that don’t ‘divert and confuse.’

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Findings from WondaPay lend credit to the Small Business Commissioner’s fear that firms are having to wait even longer to get paid.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Pointing the finger, arrogant and shirking responsibility. HMRC’s appearance in front of MPs perhaps revealed more about the self-serving taxman than about IR35.

Written by Andy Vessey
Summary

Probing the off-payroll rules, PAC chair Meg Hillier mockingly accuses the top taxman of not normally inhabiting reality.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Contractors at the sharp end of the tax year face limited options, lots of HMRC notices, and little to no room for ignorance.

Written by Graham Webber
Summary

The brolly call for evidence is answered with ‘naming and shaming,’ dates and outright bans.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Video calls as a way to get your ID documents approved get the all-clear for after April.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

Contractors with Parasol, SJD, ClearSky and Nixon eat up tips on what to do, despite no confirmation of their worst fears.

Written by Simon Moore
Summary

What limited company suppliers should emulate from a celebrity IR35 winner who failed all three key status tests.

Written by Seb Maley