As a contractor, how do you answer this criticism?

[Mordac]

This argument also ignores the CT the company pays. Whilst VAT is a pass through cost, it would be good to know if more VAT is raised via the LtdCo model vs us all being employees.

If we're all employees, we pay VAT on the stuff we buy. Which means basically, if we were permies, we still pay the same amount of VAT, but as contractors we get to smile when we claim £3 back against some printer ink. In the grand scheme of things, it really isn't much to smile about...

[psychocandy]

Ask them if they get sick pay, holidays, redundancy, notice periods that are enforceable, furloughs, rate cuts, etc.

It's a risk and reward model, that if it wasn't for the enforced travel due to the location of contracts, I'd still be engaging in. As it is, I choose to be a permie employee, pay my fare share of tax and accept that there are those who prefer the variety of contracting.

I find usually when you mention to some permies about contracting when you tell them no sick pay, no job security they go "oh no I cant do that!"

Yes I know job security is a con. Been redundant three times - why not just earn more?

[Cirrus]

Why does evryone want their cake and eat it.

Why can't contractors understand that they actually get sick pay, holiday pay, redundancy pay, pension, health benefits etc etc. They get what ever they want.

What they can't accept, or brexitly fail to appreciate, is that all these are benefits are in their daily rate.

Contractors are paid more than permies. One of the reasons is they have to fund their own benefits. It's not difficult but contractors continually think that HMRC should subsidize them. It could easily have been Transport For London, John Lewis or The Queen but no - contractors pick on poor old HMRC. If they look bemused you can't really blame them...

[vwdan]

Why can't contractors understand that they actually get sick pay, holiday pay, redundancy pay, pension, health benefits etc etc. They get what ever they want.

What they can't accept, or brexitly fail to appreciate, is that all these are benefits are in their daily rate.

Contractors are paid more than permies. One of the reasons is they have to fund their own benefits. It's not difficult but contractors continually think that HMRC should subsidize them. It could easily have been Transport For London, John Lewis or The Queen but no - contractors pick on poor old HMRC. If they look bemused you can't really blame them...

Nobody is asking HMRC to subsidise anything. Pray tell, how can my company pay sick pay, holiday pay, redundancy pay and health benefits if my entire income is immediately subject to PAYE like taxation? How can a company with no retained profit pay for any of that?

I dunno what this new thing on this forum of "enlightened" contractors stepping up and declaring that, nope, the public are right - contractors are tax-dodging scum and have no place to complain, but it's both tiresome and irritating. And nearly always due to a complete failure to understand.

[Mordac]

Why can't contractors understand that they actually get sick pay, holiday pay, redundancy pay, pension, health benefits etc etc. They get what ever they want.

What they can't accept, or brexitly fail to appreciate, is that all these are benefits are in their daily rate.

Contractors are paid more than permies. One of the reasons is they have to fund their own benefits. It's not difficult but contractors continually think that HMRC should subsidize them. It could easily have been Transport For London, John Lewis or The Queen but no - contractors pick on poor old HMRC. If they look bemused you can't really blame them...

Where the fook did you get that from?

[original PM]

Nobody is asking HMRC to subsidise anything. Pray tell, how can my company pay sick pay, holiday pay, redundancy pay and health benefits if my entire income is immediately subject to PAYE like taxation? How can a company with no retained profit pay for any of that?

I dunno what this new thing on this forum of "enlightened" contractors stepping up and declaring that, nope, the public are right - contractors are tax-dodging scum and have no place to complain, but it's both tiresome and irritating. And nearly always due to a complete failure to understand.

Why does your company have no retained profit?

[vwdan]

Why does your company have no retained profit?

Where did I say it didn't?

[Old Greg]

In plenty of forums, Facebook, social media etc, I always see the following phrase and I wondered what everyone else thought about it and how you answered it.

"People who avoid paying fair amounts of tax by creating a company, employing themselves on minimum wage and paying themselves a large dividend lose their right to an opinion on what happens to the NHS, as they aren't fairly contributing towards it. Even if what they do is legal, morally it's completely wrong."

By the way, I'm a contractor and sick of being attacked and would like to know what to say back

Tell them that freedom of thought doesn't work like that.

[cojak]

In plenty of forums, Facebook, social media etc, I always see the following phrase and I wondered what everyone else thought about it and how you answered it.

"People who avoid paying fair amounts of tax by creating a company, employing themselves on minimum wage and paying themselves a large dividend lose their right to an opinion on what happens to the NHS, as they aren't fairly contributing towards it. Even if what they do is legal, morally it's completely wrong."

By the way, I'm a contractor and sick of being attacked and would like to know what to say back

Never complain, never explain.

[Old Greg]

Never complain, never explain.

Act like you own the place, plough salt into the ground on the way out.