Latest Contractors

In the run up to the Autumn Budget, where it is widely speculated the Government will clamp down on IR35 in the private sector, barely a week goes by without another IR35 case being in the news. Employment tribunal claims are increasingly being launched by those caught by the IR35 reforms of the public sector.…

There are many benefits over employment. Changing careers can be a challenge but leaving the employment wage treadmill to become a contractor can increase your earnings, saving on tax and national insurance as well as providing more flexible working hours. Contractors are essentially self-employed individuals who work on projects for a set period of time…

HMRC have lost a second IR35 case this year, and their second case against the same contractor, putting into doubt their own understanding of the IR35 rules. Ian Wells, director of personal service company Jensal Software Limited provided his services to the Department of Work and Pensions via a recruitment agency during 2012 and 2013.…

  A contractor in the construction industry, Mark Daniels, has won his appeal against HMRC. In MDCM Ltd v Revenue & Customs, HMRC were defending their decision that a contract between Mr Daniels’ personal service company MDMC Ltd and recruitment agency Solutions, which provided his services to Structure Tone Ltd,  should have been caught by…

  BBC Look North presenter Christa Ackroyd has lost a high profile test case with HMRC over whether or not IR35 legislation applied to her contract. The main terms of this contract, between her personal service company and the BBC, were: 7 year contract Providing tv presenting services for 225 days pa   The First…

As we predicted in past blogs, the Chancellor announced a consultation into IR35 private sector contractors in the Autumn Budget. Since April 2017, contractors in the public sector are no longer responsible for evaluating their IR35 status; the end client is required to carry out an IR35 assessment instead. The Treasury believe this has increased…

  In a recent tax tribunal test case, relating to the well-known actor Robert Glenister, HMRC were challenged as to whether the IR35 intermediary tax rules should apply to an actor earning his living through a personal service company.   As is typical with individuals providing their personal services through an intermediary company, Mr Glenister…

Contractors: New flat rate VAT rules (Limited Cost Traders) HMRC has released updated guidance regarding changes to the flat rate VAT scheme which come into effect on 1 April 2017. The advantage gained by using the flat rate scheme is going to be restricted for ‘limited cost businesses’. A limited cost business is one whose…

HMRC: Finally release new Employment Status tool. The new public sector IR35 assessment rules come into effect on 6 April 2017 and contractors have been concerned that they are unable to confirm their IR35 status. HMRC has now released its long awaited online Employment Status Tool. The tool is available to contractors, engagers and agencies…

IR35: Proposals for off-payroll working in the public sector. HMRC has been consulting over the summer on reform of the intermediaries legislation, commonly termed IR35. The proposal, announced in the Budget 2016, is to move the responsibility for determining the tax status of engagements in the public sector by consultants and others operating through their…