BBC advises stars on avoiding tax

[HairyArsedBloke]

I really do dread the next number of years on this island as the state appears only to have eyes for squeezing more cash out of the taxpayers.

It's not just the UK, everywhere in the world is doing the same thing to some extent.

[centurian]

TV/radio presenters are more legitimate as companies than most contractors I reckon... they tend to work with multiple clients (e.g on different channels, writing books, endorsing stuff) and I bet they decide what and how much work they put in.

For light entertainment presenters, that might be the case, but for news presenters, the article indicates something different.

"Tight restrictions make it difficult for most BBC news and current affairs presenters to pick up enough outside work to justify freelance status. Many are barred from working for rival broadcasters and are forbidden to write for the press or give paid speeches in case they compromise their impartiality."

Total exclusivity - a very hard IR35 sell, so why don't HMRC start going after them with the same vigour that they attack IT.

[Churchill]

For light entertainment presenters, that might be the case, but for news presenters, the article indicates something different.

"Tight restrictions make it difficult for most BBC news and current affairs presenters to pick up enough outside work to justify freelance status. Many are barred from working for rival broadcasters and are forbidden to write for the press or give paid speeches in case they compromise their impartiality."

Total exclusivity - a very hard IR35 sell, so why don't HMRC start going after them with the same vigour that they attack IT.

Because IT Contractors don't have the same high profile.

[AtW]

Because IT Contractors don't have the same high profile.

No, because more money can be made from taxing middle classes: if IR is lucky they'd make 100 top presenters (if there were that many) £100k extra tax each, that's only £10 mln.

IR would much prefer to get £10k extra from 100000 middle class folks thus making £1 bln (in theory).

[d000hg]

For light entertainment presenters, that might be the case, but for news presenters, the article indicates something different.

"Tight restrictions make it difficult for most BBC news and current affairs presenters to pick up enough outside work to justify freelance status. Many are barred from working for rival broadcasters and are forbidden to write for the press or give paid speeches in case they compromise their impartiality."

Total exclusivity - a very hard IR35 sell, so why don't HMRC start going after them with the same vigour that they attack IT.

Hmm, good point. Maybe now they will... but there are not exactly a huge number of these people are there? Would the costs be justified to chase them down, or should HMRC just try scare tactics?

[TykeMerc]

Hmm, good point. Maybe now they will... but there are not exactly a huge number of these people are there? Would the costs be justified to chase them down, or should HMRC just try scare tactics?

You could apply that argument to every individual IT contractor they've molested, at least in the case of these "celebrities" they'd get a decent tax take if they won.

[AtW]

You could apply that argument to every individual IT contractor they've molested, at least in the case of these "celebrities" they'd get a decent tax take if they won.

It costs too much to pursue single contractor - the reason they do it is to create fear so that others pay up without spending time on them.

Problem with those rich guys is that they will all have to be taken to court - they can afford good lawyers too, and generally speaking there is not that much money to get out of them anyway.

Thing is - if top presenters dodge tax then it's not a threat to the State, unless everyone else takes this as example and does the same.

[sweetandsour]

Nice - now perhaps Hector will leave the rest of us alone for a while

I think it makes it more likely that there will be a blanket ban on the way we work.

[Tarquin Farquhar]

Looks like they are just ignoring IR35. I wonder if Paxman could send a substitute for Newsnight...?

Paxman could send Esler. Esler could send Paxman.

[Moscow Mule]

Paxman could send Esler. Esler could send Paxman.

You've just got all the accountants on the board rubbing their hands in cross-charge anticipation...