Is it worth joining IPSE

[malvolio]

I'm not sure there's much evidence of them having achieved anything at all. They've even changed their name to distance themselves from representing contractors' interests.

Well ignoring Arctic, the recent successes have included the NI U-turn (with others' help, of course, but IPSE led the campaign) and that outside IR35 you can still claim expenses. Trivial stuff really.

The main benefits are still the economic ones of the Plus package; you can buy all of it elsewhere, but it ill cost around £1000 to do so. Use any of them and you get back at least twice your annual membership. But it is pointless claiming any insurance is not worth it or that you've never used it.; it's an unnecessary expense until you need it.

[Eirikur]

IPSE have achieved F- all with the government. They are ridiculously over priced. A bunch of trade union like bullies on this forum will push you to become a member. Totally London focussed. I have canceled my membership

[northernladuk]

Join Ludus Magnus and become the greatest gladiator in all of Rome. HTH

[TheFaQQer]

They've even changed their name to distance themselves from representing contractors' interests.

No they didn't.

The name change (as has been discussed when the change occurred) was nothing to do with stopping representing contractor's interests, but was done to move the organisation away from being pigeonholed as "those builders who only talk about IR35" when raising the issues that we all face with politicians and think tanks.

Who else represents contractors' interests if not IPSE?

[TheFaQQer]

They are ridiculously over priced.

You've said this before, and no doubt you'll say it again.

And I'll say what I've said before - show me something which offers a comparable package for a comparable price. Provide some real examples of what you can get as a solution elsewhere - I'm yet to find anywhere that provides the same benefits for anywhere near the same price.

(waits for the inevitable "I never use that insurance so it's pointless" reply)

[TheFaQQer]

Other than the IR35 support, what else do they provide?

Here's the simple one from a purely financial point of view - IPSE will pay out £5k for every IPSE+ member under 70 (might be 75) in the even of your death. That covers 20 years of IPSE membership at the current rate.

If you get nothing else out of you membership, you need to have been a member for 20 years before you are financially worse off, just from that one benefit.

[tarbera]

Here's the simple one from a purely financial point of view - IPSE will pay out £5k for every IPSE+ member under 70 (might be 75) in the even of your death. That covers 20 years of IPSE membership at the current rate.

If you get nothing else out of you membership, you need to have been a member for 20 years before you are financially worse off, just from that one benefit.

And given the majority of ipse members are fat overweight white guys whose only exercise comes from Pokémon and forums most won't reach retirement never mind 70 !!!

[ladymuck]

It all depends on what you want and expect from such an organisation. You have to ask yourself if you want what they offer for the price it's being offered at. Value is something personal to you, and all you're going to get in response to your question is people's personal valuation of IPSE and what it means to them.

Here's my personal take:

It has the insurance products, shopping discounts available via IPSE Advantages, discounts on training services etc. It also does lobbying, research (and publication thereof) into matters affecting the self employed, and will fight your corner if you need them to. If a PS worker out there is willing to stick their head above the parapet for a test case, they have said they'll back that person.

Many CUKers cross post between here and the IPSE forums to get a wide range of opinions on contracts and more banal topics, and why wouldn't you? There's been some angst over forum behaviours, and it's a heck of a lot gentler than here, but it's also a nice community where I have met (in real life!) some really lovely people and had many a gin-infused hangover as a result.

Yes, I agree it feels very London-centric. There are few official events in other cities (although there was a recent one in Leeds IIRC) but, other than Glasgow, there seems little member appetite for people even bothering to organise their own ad hoc RLMs. Saying that, there hasn't been a London RLM for ages either.

[SeededLoaf]

On a related question. Which accounts code should I use to pay for IPSE? Since it's non tax deductible, I wasn't sure if it falls under professional fees?

I could ask my accountant but they offer a similar product and I'd like to avoid that negative interaction. If anyone has a re-seller code that matches the CUK banner then i'll happily use theirs

Thanks

[SueEllen]

On a related question. Which accounts code should I use to pay for IPSE? Since it's non tax deductible, I wasn't sure if it falls under professional fees?

I could ask my accountant but they offer a similar product and I'd like to avoid that negative interaction. If anyone has a re-seller code that matches the CUK banner then i'll happily use theirs

Thanks

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