House of Lords review & IR35, PCG

[MPwannadecentincome]

Don't be daft. It could be applied to PSC directors only or some such thing.

Yes anything could happen even something daft

[Wanderer]

the argument that "we shouldn't have to pay NI because we take more risk" is a ludicrous one. And let's be honest, 99.9% of contractors have done nothing that could be called entrepreneurial in setting up their business, and 99.9% will never expand their business into anything else.

Perhaps the government thinks that the 0.1% of freelancers who do eventually expand into a "proper" business makes the tax break worth while? Everyone has to start from somewhere.

Or maybe it's just that they think it's worthwhile offering tax breaks to maintain a pool of highly skilled, highly flexible workers? Is the tax break they offer to contractors any different to what they offer to big companies though tax breaks or by turning a blind eye to the tax avoidance schemes used by big companies?

As for the money - I wonder how many contractors would stick with contracting if they were hit with a 30% pay cut?

[Zero Liability]

Yes anything could happen even something daft

Well, this is the government/HMRC. The HoL consultation did have some pretty daft contributions to it as it is.

[GB9]

Anyone heard any more on this? I submitted 'evidence' but needless to say have heard naff all.

[v8gaz]

Anyone heard any more on this? I submitted 'evidence' but needless to say have heard naff all.

Are you Graham Boyd? Then you have been published. Just as long as you are not Mark Agombar

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

Anyone heard any more on this? I submitted 'evidence' but needless to say have heard naff all.

Updates here - latest is 158 pages of written evidence: Select Committee on Personal Service Companies - UK Parliament

[GB9]

Are you Graham Boyd? Then you have been published. Just as long as you are not Mark Agombar

That Mark bloke has a whole potato on his shoulder.

Updates here - latest is 158 pages of written evidence: Select Committee on Personal Service Companies - UK Parliament

Thanks Lisa

[alphadog]

As for the money - I wonder how many contractors would stick with contracting if they were hit with a 30% pay cut?

In the industry that I work in, permanent staff salaries are about 50% lower than contractor pay even taking into account employer NICs. Take into account contractor tax advantages, and contractor net pay is well over double what staff net pay is.

If contracting were somehow made illegal, I for one couldn't face taking home significantly less than half of what I currently do. And as for ever getting on the housing ladder as it continues to ratchet upwards - forget it. I would not hesitate in emigrating to Oz/NZ/Canada, and I suspect many of the younger contractors in my industry would do the same. As for older contractors, many would rather retire than continue for less than half of their net take-home.

Ah, but wouldn't staff salaries just rise compensate you say... maybe a bit, but I wouldn't count on it.

My industry is almost on it's knees in the UK due to a dramatically aging workforce. Any moves to make contracting 'illegal' would doom it to further shrinkage and more and more offshoring of the work.

[MPwannadecentincome]

In the industry that I work in, permanent staff salaries are about 50% lower than contractor pay even taking into account employer NICs. Take into account contractor tax advantages, and contractor net pay is well over double what staff net pay is.

If contracting were somehow made illegal, I for one couldn't face taking home significantly less than half of what I currently do. And as for ever getting on the housing ladder as it continues to ratchet upwards - forget it. I would not hesitate in emigrating to Oz/NZ/Canada, and I suspect many of the younger contractors in my industry would do the same. As for older contractors, many would rather retire than continue for less than half of their net take-home.

Ah, but wouldn't staff salaries just rise compensate you say... maybe a bit, but I wouldn't count on it.

My industry is almost on it's knees in the UK due to a dramatically aging workforce. Any moves to make contracting 'illegal' would doom it to further shrinkage and more and more offshoring of the work.

Generally speaking only the "young" (ish) get enough points on immigration to Oz/NZ/Canada, otherwise employer sponsorship is needed. Which is of course possible but not easy. So for those of us a bit "older" - well as retirement age it rapidly going up, so if worse comes to the worst only those with large pension pots / warchests can take early retirement, the rest of us have to make do the best we can whether contract or perm.

[EMEAfixer]

gone now

That Mark bloke has a whole potato on his shoulder.



Thanks Lisa

The 158 page compilation appears to have been taken off the website again. Could that be due to the accusations of criminal behaviour Mark had made against other named individuals in his contribution to the document? I had been surprised to see such material published in the first place.