Hi all
I have wandered in and out of ContractorUK for many a year but only just joined.
One of the things I am astonished with is that people are too easily led into using terms that are actually designed to "catch them out" for want of a better word, an example of this, is the use of the term PSC. It gauls me beyond belief that people will use an acronym specifically designed to classify something as something it is not.
PSC, was a term that was first introduced by HMRC as a way of referring to a contractors Limited Company. By defining it as a "Personal Service Company" they immediately cast you iinto one of "their pots" ... and if you actually start referring to it as such... you are effectively, admitting that your company is only ever really going to be just you and your personal service.... madness.
The thing that annoys me about it is that, there is no such thing in companies house.... you cannot register a company as a PSC, there is no such "type" of company yet, agents love to use the term (especially when writing contracts if they can) End Clients now try to use the term.... and here, we regularly use it.. why? Terminology designed by HMRC... to basically... catch you out.
I was once negotiating a contract with a rather large agent, who provided HR services for a rather large international financial institution, and they had written a contract, which referred to my company as a PSC, throughout the contract. I immediately refused to sign it and was asked why and I said as above, that no such thing exists. The agent was most upset and said "are you telling me that your company could employ other people then?" to which I said "Yes if I so wish, it can"... The underlying client wanted my services and the contract was rewritten...
what I am trying to say is, why use a term that will actually limit you... (or indeed your defence in claiming that a role was outside IR35 for example)
I have wandered in and out of ContractorUK for many a year but only just joined.
One of the things I am astonished with is that people are too easily led into using terms that are actually designed to "catch them out" for want of a better word, an example of this, is the use of the term PSC. It gauls me beyond belief that people will use an acronym specifically designed to classify something as something it is not.
PSC, was a term that was first introduced by HMRC as a way of referring to a contractors Limited Company. By defining it as a "Personal Service Company" they immediately cast you iinto one of "their pots" ... and if you actually start referring to it as such... you are effectively, admitting that your company is only ever really going to be just you and your personal service.... madness.
The thing that annoys me about it is that, there is no such thing in companies house.... you cannot register a company as a PSC, there is no such "type" of company yet, agents love to use the term (especially when writing contracts if they can) End Clients now try to use the term.... and here, we regularly use it.. why? Terminology designed by HMRC... to basically... catch you out.
I was once negotiating a contract with a rather large agent, who provided HR services for a rather large international financial institution, and they had written a contract, which referred to my company as a PSC, throughout the contract. I immediately refused to sign it and was asked why and I said as above, that no such thing exists. The agent was most upset and said "are you telling me that your company could employ other people then?" to which I said "Yes if I so wish, it can"... The underlying client wanted my services and the contract was rewritten...
what I am trying to say is, why use a term that will actually limit you... (or indeed your defence in claiming that a role was outside IR35 for example)
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