Freelance while full time

[user400058]

I am settled and relaxed with my current full time job. Received an 6 month outside IR35 working for client out of UK. Question, is it feasible to contract simultaneously while in full time from tax perspective. Both are remote of course.

[eek]

I am settled and relaxed with my current full time job. Received an 6 month outside IR35 working for client out of UK. Question, is it feasible to contract simultaneously while in full time from tax perspective. Both are remote of course.

What does your employment contract say?

[ladymuck]

So two full time jobs concurrently? How are you going to work that then?

As eek says, check your employment contract to make sure you're allowed to take on a second job. You'll also need to be sure that you're not working for a direct competitor of your employer and therefore at risk of a conflict of interest or sharing commercial secrets. Your client too will be interested to hear that they will be sharing your time and who with.

Then you'll need to think about how your contract is going to be paying you. Are you going to set up a limited company or work via an umbrella, or register as self-employed?

But, yes, it's all about the tax.

[Maslins]

It's certainly feasible from a tax perspective...but if the contract is fairly significant which to me your OP implies (ie not just a couple of hours a week) I doubt your full time employer would be best impressed!

[northernladuk]

I am settled and relaxed with my current full time job. Received an 6 month outside IR35 working for client out of UK. Question, is it feasible to contract simultaneously while in full time from tax perspective. Both are remote of course.

Not a chance. Others have been a bit cautious adding possibilities in but I'll just be blunt and go straight for no.

Firstly your employment contract will say you work 9 to 5 for 40 hours a week. If you do any work on that time then you are in breach of your contract and are facing the sack. I've seen it happen a number of times.
Secondly even if the gig is outside it's likely they will want a working time to respect the client, which is likely to be office times so it's highly likely the contract will say 9 to 5 or professional working day. This will be the same time of your perm job so again you will be working for your perm on clients time which is again breach of contract. I've also seen moonlighting contractors let go as well. It happens.

If you can't tell both parties what is going on then you shouldn't be doing it.

If it is truly in your own time in evenings and weekends then fine but I am certain that won't be the case.

There are other factors about conflict of interest and you working on out of country which might be an even bigger risk to your client.

They are both remote for now but if either want you to start coming back in to site then you are pretty stuffed. Planning meetings for two full time clients is going to be an utter nightmare as well.

So tax aside, my default answer is no you can't with a big caveat in some very special situations it's possible but these are extremely rare.

[NotAllThere]

Legally possibly. Possible with regards to tax. Highly unlikely to be contractually possible.

[luxCon]

Don't listen to the usual bully grumpy lot who have nothing better to do than spread negativity, and refer you to an accountant every other post !! The higher their number of posts on the profile, the more rubbish they spread around.

As long as you are meeting all contractual obligations you are within your right. Loads of people have more than one job. My cleaner has 10s of contracts. MPs do bits on the side. Managing directors of FT100 companies do consultancy work. Do your perm work between 9 to 5, and the freelance during your breaks and evenings/ weekend.

Any extra income goes on your SA or setup a LTD comp if its worth the revenue

[northernladuk]

Don't listen to the usual bully grumpy lot who have nothing better to do than spread negativity, and refer you to an accountant every other post !! The higher their number of posts on the profile, the more rubbish they spread around.

I don't see one negative comment on here. I see factual comments, some anecdotal, covering the issue he's talking about. Making a sweeping statement that is, in this thread alone, completely wrong is really not a good opening statement when are then going to give advice that you hope the OP might take on.

As long as you are meeting all contractual obligations you are within your right. Loads of people have more than one job. My cleaner has 10s of contracts. MPs do bits on the side. Managing directors of FT100 companies do consultancy work. Do your perm work between 9 to 5, and the freelance during your breaks and evenings/ weekend.

Any extra income goes on your SA or setup a LTD comp if its worth the revenue

Which is exactly what has been said but other posts went in to more useful detail about what those contractual obligations are. He can't meet them so the rest of your statement is just a waste of time. Comparing a fulltime+contract role situation with your cleaner and MP is just utter rubbish.

Don't listen to all them, listen to my utter trash. Yeah useful thanks.

[Lance]

An outside IR35 contract that is genuinely outside should allow you to have other commitments. Read it.
An employment contract may allow it, or it may not. Read it.

They're the key details before you even consider if it's logistically possible.


As other have said, it's not that easy.

Oddly enough the only negative comment is from Luxcon being a prat (and me now
Everything else is constructive and should be understood.

[luxCon]

I don't see one negative comment on here. I see factual comments, some anecdotal, covering the issue he's talking about.
Don't listen to all them, listen to my utter trash. Yeah useful thanks.

The irony of it is laughable. This is your post just earlier

Not a chance. Others have been a bit cautious adding possibilities in but I'll just be blunt and go straight for no.