A manifesto for the self-employed

[TheFaQQer]

This morning IPSE, the association for Independent Professionals and the Self Employed, launched its new manifesto to a packed press conference...

Copies can be downloaded here.

(For those into the stats, the words "self-employed" feature 91 times; the word "contractor" features five times, including the copyright PCG Ltd statement at the end)

[mudskipper]

Their definition of self employed is odd - is that a typo?

Who are the self-employed?
The self-employed are workers without an employee. One in seven, around 4.6 million, of the UK workforce are now self-employed and this has grown by around 39% since
2000. The numbers are growing rapidly: 85% of the jobs lost in the recession were
replaced by self-employed jobs, and the number of those working for themselves is
expected to exceed those in the public sector by 2016

[TheFaQQer]

Their definition of self employed is odd - is that a typo?

I wondered that, but I'm sure it's meant to read that way.

If you have enough posts on the IPSE forums, why not ask the question there? I'm sure someone can explain it.

[mudskipper]

I wondered that, but I'm sure it's meant to read that way.

If you have enough posts on the IPSE forums, why not ask the question there? I'm sure someone can explain it.

The only workers without employees are employers aren't they? I'll wander over and ask there.

[eek]

Utterly clueless in so many ways but I'll pick just one part to attack

“IPSE suggests a full merger of National Insurance and Income Tax, simplifying the tax system for all. As an interim measure, a new corporate form for independent professionals should be created.”

Self employed NI is already incredibly simple. You pay £2.70 a week for class 2 and 9% of income between £7,755 and £41,450 with 2% for everything else for class 4.

So its hardly difficult to work out what the final figure should be.

I could agree that merging NI and Income tax has a purpose but considering the model most contractors work under (small income, large dividends via a PSC) the plan will make your current members a lot worse off..

[vwdan]

Mmm, it all starts to feel a bit much for me. I'm not freelancing to be a martyr - I just want to get my head down, crack on and take home some money. I don't think I'm doing the country any favors.

[Scruff]

Clueless?

[TheFaQQer]

Well, according to the definition, I'm absolutely not self-employed because I run a company which has employees.

I know I would never have described myself as being self-employed (because I'm not), but at least PCG Ltd have just clarified it for me.

[tractor]

...

Utterly clueless in so many ways but I'll pick just one part to attack



Self employed NI is already incredibly simple. You pay £2.70 a week for class 2 and 9% of income between £7,755 and £41,450 with 2% for everything else for class 4.

So its hardly difficult to work out what the final figure should be.

I could agree that merging NI and Income tax has a purpose but considering the model most contractors work under (small income, large dividends via a PSC) the plan will make your current members a lot worse off..

Is this for real?

[eek]

Is this for real?

Yep its the last part of https://www.ipse.co.uk/news/2014/ips...topia%E2%80%99

Yet people still wonder why I think IPSE is run by a bunch of ous muppets