Start contracting now or later?

[heyya99]

Surely no one would start contracting now IR35 is being rolled out.

[Yorkie62]

Surely no one would start contracting now IR35 is being rolled out.

IR35 has been with us for many many years. If it hasn't been rolled out by now it never will.

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[MrButton]

Surely no one would start contracting now IR35 is being rolled out.

Ah. They type of comment which helps nobody.

Well done.

[northernladuk]

Ah. They type of comment which helps nobody.

Well done.

That's heya99 for you. He's 432 other posts of similar quality

[gables]

Hi all long time lurker here , fantastic site for insight on contracting Im at a point where I would need seasoned advice on what I should do at the moment? I'm in a complex situation - its doing my head in!!

if I can list it out where I am - and I am keen to get back on the contracting wagon again!!

1) last time contracting was 2013 (networks and storage)
2) got married 2013
3) ran sole trader business from 2014-17 (cctv and large wifi deployments)
4) separated 2017
5) business declined due to stress and pending divorce e.g moving house
6) went on ESA benefits
7) sept 2018 started university course PGCE (thought of career change teaching IT)
8) oct 2018 divorce and financial settlement agreed
9) settlement received Jan 2019
10) settlement could affect my benefits and student loan/grants in the main.

Do I continue my course till June or start contracting so I can buy property while prices are favourable before Brexit? its doing my head in cos in one hand my course is boring ASF!
Id rather be doing tech work and the other hand is financial challenges due to settlement.
I had thought of part time contracting while I do my uni course- hard to find and rates probably not high enough to secure a self build mortgage im also not sure if PGCE (higher education)has any bearing on contracting anyone know if any IT training contracts that has the same pull of rates comparative to the norm?

How long does it take to get a contract? last time of memory back in 2012 it was 3 months

hope you can help guys!

Given all that (turmoil) above, personally I'd be looking for a permanent job and try to gain some stability in that part of life. It'd be an opportunity to refresh\reskill whilst keeping an eye on the contracting market, without having to worry about the next contract\where the money will come from.

[heyya99]

Ah. They type of comment which helps nobody.

Well done.

Eh? Surely you people should be advising any newcomers against it. We are all planning our exit in advance of April 2020, to enter now before we get more clarity would be folly.

[MrButton]

Eh? Surely you people should be advising any newcomers against it. We are all planning our exit in advance of April 2020, to enter now before we get more clarity would be folly.

“We”? Who?

Certainly I’m not and all of the comfortably outside IR35 contractors I know are not planning an exit.

I guess bum on seat contractors just doing a job description are planning an exit as they can no longer falsely declare themselves inside? Good luck with that.

[simes]

Eh? Surely you people should be advising any newcomers against it. We are all planning our exit in advance of April 2020, to enter now before we get more clarity would be folly.

I must admit to not being part of your 'All' either.

I started contracting in the year IR35 was introduced back in 2000. And since then there have been multitudinous rumours and thoughts as to how to position yourself to remain outside. For my part, this (the Private Sector element) is business as usual and come 2020, even if it does happen, I will hopefully be in a resultant financial position of no change.

As I, and maybe anyone Can, see it as of Jan 2019, you will have to ensure you are in a project environment as opposed to a support environment and, if the clients can be educated in the meantime, we carry on.

And anyway, anyone starting contracting at this time only knows this as the baseline environment, IR35-wise. They won't have experienced the 19 years of comparatively relaxed IR35 ruling in the same way prior to 2000, I had never experienced a contracting world without IR35 altogether.

I would always recommend, to the right person, contracting as a way to go.

[gables]

I must admit to not being part of your 'All' either.

I started contracting in the year IR35 was introduced back in 2000. And since then there have been multitudinous rumours and thoughts as to how to position yourself to remain outside. For my part, this (the Private Sector element) is business as usual and come 2020, even if it does happen, I will hopefully be in a resultant financial position of no change.

As I, and maybe anyone Can, see it as of Jan 2019, you will have to ensure you are in a project environment as opposed to a support environment and, if the clients can be educated in the meantime, we carry on.

And anyway, anyone starting contracting at this time only knows this as the baseline environment, IR35-wise. They won't have experienced the 19 years of comparatively relaxed IR35 ruling in the same way prior to 2000, I had never experienced a contracting world without IR35 altogether.

I would always recommend, to the right person, contracting as a way to go.

Agreed. I'm not part of the 'All' either. I started contracting in 1993 so experienced contracting without the spectre of IR35. Since I restarted contracting in 2015 I have worked both outside and inside (current) IR35. A contract inside IR35 is not a deal breaker, but then for me contracting is not all the money.

To NOT go contracting because of IR35 is missing the point of what contracting is all about.

[heyya99]

“We”? Who?

Certainly I’m not and all of the comfortably outside IR35 contractors I know are not planning an exit.

I guess bum on seat contractors just doing a job description are planning an exit as they can no longer falsely declare themselves inside? Good luck with that.

Knowing what you know now, you would switch from a perm job to contracting today?