GSK Crackdown

[NigelJK]

What really gets my goat is that for most companies about to sign a contract for £100K+ would be going over it with a fine tooth comb, but Contractors it's 'Just sign there'.

[pr1]

What really gets my goat is that for most companies about to sign a contract for £100K+ would be going over it with a fine tooth comb, but Contractors it's 'Just sign there'.

Because most contractors see every day of delay before the start of a contract as "losing" money

[NigelJK]

And PMs see it a impacting deadlines. But I still say you can vet a contract in a couple of hours, less if you have an IR35 specialist on the management team.

[vwdan]

I'm getting genuinely depressed about this April thing to the extent that it's affecting my life and general demeanour. I am not a happy camper.

Same. I'm trying to be optimistic, but I feel like my current lifestyle has an expiry date on it - contracting works so well for me, I really can't face the prospect of going back permie. Not to mention the lack of local opportunities to earn anywhere near the same.

What really gets my goat is that for most companies about to sign a contract for £100K+ would be going over it with a fine tooth comb, but Contractors it's 'Just sign there'.

Because we don't sign contracts for £100k+. We sign them for a few hundred quid and hope they roll for more than a day.

[BlueSharp]

Glad I'm not the only one concerned. My wife is planning on returning to work full time as I'm expecting significant downtime next year until this settles down. I'm hoping the private sector is more savvy and will still operate outside ir35 contracts. Taking a local perm role would result in a lower tax take for HMRC but a better work-life balance. I have no interest in becoming a tempory worker unless rates increased.

[SandyD]

I think you guys are missing the rest of the issues, IR35 the big one, add to it the almost non-existing div allowance, the tightening on all expenses, not to mention the recession due to Brexit and trade war... if you need to be depressed, get depressed about the lack of jobs in general!!

[vwdan]

I think you guys are missing the rest of the issues, IR35 the big one, add to it the almost non-existing div allowance, the tightening on all expenses, not to mention the recession due to Brexit and trade war... if you need to be depressed, get depressed about the lack of jobs in general!!

Well, no, nobody is "missing them". Brexit affects everybody, and dividends and expenses affects all business owners - so there are a lot more people fighting our corner, and more people in the same boat.

But the IR35 changes are very specific to us, and the general public have little in the way of sympathy

[Lockhouse]

Same. I'm trying to be optimistic, but I feel like my current lifestyle has an expiry date on it - contracting works so well for me, I really can't face the prospect of going back permie. Not to mention the lack of local opportunities to earn anywhere near the same.

I'm in my mid\late 50's so feel like I'm being forced out to grass. I can't get a perm job, not that I'd want one anyway and I'm around 12-18 months off what I'd ideally like as a retirement pot. My missus keeps telling me how lucky I am just to have what I have but to be honest I'm a seething ball of anger right now.

[Lockhouse]

I think you guys are missing the rest of the issues, IR35 the big one, add to it the almost non-existing div allowance, the tightening on all expenses, not to mention the recession due to Brexit and trade war... if you need to be depressed, get depressed about the lack of jobs in general!!

No we're not "missing the rest of the issues". The dividend tax for example - I don't like it but I can accept it as it affects everyone and doesn't majorly affect my ability to add to my pension or save for a rainy day. I actually think it's way more "fairer" than IR35.

[GJABS]

I'm a seething ball of anger right now.

"Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad"

Don't get mad - see the situation as an obstacle in your path that you need to resolve or work around. As a contractor you should take a pride in your troubleshooting abilities. So troubleshoot this.