PCG packages and peoples opinions

[christhedon]

Hi,

Looking at joining PCG there are a few packages:

1) Standard
2) Plus
3) Affliate

(2) has these things that (1) doesn't

a) PAYE Audit Cover
b) Jury service expense insurance cover
c) Access to the Ashridge Virtual Learning Resource Centre (VLRC)

How useful are a,b and c in your opinion? b is just an insurance of something quite unlikely (but you never know). c I don't understand and (a) to me sounds like what you already have through the IR35 insurance they offer....

Any opinons on why go for either package? (1) is about 100 cheapr than (2).

Cheers,

Chris

[Gonzo]

Chris

A word of warning - You are asking for a flaming by asking a lot of basic questions on here.

But it hasn't happened yet so here is my 2 Euro cents worth...

Affiliate membership of PGC is for companies that provide services for contractors - so that is probably not you.

I believe that it will cost you between £1000 to £5000 if you get a PAYE investigation. If you do PAYE yourself then I would expect the costs of the investigation would be at the top end of that scale, if you have an accountant running your PAYE then I would imagine any such investigation would cost at the lower end of that scale.

Up to you if you want to pay more to the PCG - the accountant runs PAYE for myCo so I have standard PCG membership.

[ASB]

Hi,

Looking at joining PCG there are a few packages:

1) Standard
2) Plus
3) Affliate

(2) has these things that (1) doesn't

a) PAYE Audit Cover
b) Jury service expense insurance cover
c) Access to the Ashridge Virtual Learning Resource Centre (VLRC)

How useful are a,b and c in your opinion? b is just an insurance of something quite unlikely (but you never know). c I don't understand and (a) to me sounds like what you already have through the IR35 insurance they offer....

Any opinons on why go for either package? (1) is about 100 cheapr than (2).

Cheers,

Chris

a) I think covers you frojm wehen the letter lans on the doormat. Standard insurance is more specific and only covers you once it's turned into an IR35 investigation. Whether the insurance is worth it depends on your view of the risk, you can spoend a lot of money on a paye audit.

b) I don't know what is covered here but the possibility of being called for jury services is probably higher than you think. It is also much harder to get out of. If your luck is really out you could get onto a complex long winded fraud trial. In a site of a couple of hundred people we'd always have one or two called each year.

[mmc71]

Re: Jury Service

I was called up for jury service in January, and i just filled in the form and wrote in the "excuses box" that as a contractor forcing me to take 2 weeks out off would in all likelyhood cause me to be out of work for a much longer period of time.

Got a reply a week later saying that due to my situation i was no longer required. No phonecalls, letters or hassle. Was all very straightforward!

[Mailman]

You are wasting your time with these bints. You would be better off burning your money...remembering these are the bunch of goons who brought you the option of opting in or out of the new regs.

Mailman

[ChimpMaster]

I was called up for jury service in January, and i just filled in the form and wrote in the "excuses box" that as a contractor forcing me to take 2 weeks out off would in all likelyhood cause me to be out of work for a much longer period of time.

Got a reply a week later saying that due to my situation i was no longer required. No phonecalls, letters or hassle. Was all very straightforward!

You could also have written that you hold racist/facist views against muslims/blacks/whites/asians etc. It would have had the same effect.

[mmc71]

Re: Jury Service

Do you know anyone that has actually got away with that?

The jury-service person receiving such a letter could easily call you up just the same and make you hang around for the 2 weeks without actually giving you a trial to sit on.

[Xenophon]

Do you know anyone that has actually got away with that?

The jury-service person receiving such a letter could easily call you up just the same and make you hang around for the 2 weeks without actually giving you a trial to sit on.

Then you would want jury service insurance to cover it surely?

[swamp]

People join the PCG for its IR35 insurance. Apparantly many IR35 investigations start out as a PAYE inquiry, but you're not covered for this in the basic PCG membership.

So if you join the PCG get PCG Plus, otherwise it's a bit pointless, like getting car insurance that excludes crashes on the left-hand side of your car....

OK with membership you do also get draft contracts, IR35 guide and access to their forums (fora?)

I'm actually thinking of leaving the PCG myself. Don't think IR35 is the threat it once was, and their 'approved umbrella scheme' seems like a bit of a conflict of interest to me.

[Xenophon]

People join the PCG for its IR35 insurance. Apparantly many IR35 investigations start out as a PAYE inquiry, but you're not covered for this in the basic PCG membership.

So if you join the PCG get PCG Plus, otherwise it's a bit pointless, like getting car insurance that excludes crashes on the left-hand side of your car....

OK with membership you do also get draft contracts, IR35 guide and access to their forums (fora?)

I'm actually thinking of leaving the PCG myself. Don't think IR35 is the threat it once was, and their 'approved umbrella scheme' seems like a bit of a conflict of interest to me.

I have PCG+ membership too and have also been wondering what is behind the 'approved umbrella scheme'.