Free Consultancy

[lje]

I'm about to start my first contract in many years. I'm going direct to ClientCo through a new ltd company. However, in recent weeks I've also been providing business consultancy to a social enterprise for free and I intend to continue doing this (great experience for me and help them to do some good).

Would it make sense to do the business consultancy through my ltd company from an IR35 point of view - ie having multiple concurrent contracts? Can I have a contract where I don't charge the client?

[Tingles]

Makes no difference with regard to IR35...

Do what you want, it's your business...

Your altruism is very commendable.

[TheFaQQer]

Would it make sense to do the business consultancy through my ltd company from an IR35 point of view - ie having multiple concurrent contracts? Can I have a contract where I don't charge the client?

If you think that there is a chance that you might mess up and need some degree of insurance cover, then you should do it through your Ltd company. In terms of whether that has any impact on IR35, no - your IR35 status is assessed on a contract by contract basis. Some members of the PCG board work simultaneously on inside IR35 contracts (work that they do for the PCG) and outside (other stuff), IIRC.

You can have a contract that sets out what you are going to do for them, and what they can expect from you, without charging them anything. I worked on some projects for Oracle that were done as freebies, albeit for less altruistic purposes.