It's the (possible) end of the world as we know it.

[Platypus]

There is some confusion about self-employment. IIRC some banks treat us as self-employed for mortgage purposes. But that has no legal status, it's just their business practice. Is that right?

FWIW that's my understanding

[KentPhilip]

Your definition of self-employment isn't what HMRC use in their decision-making process. Theirs is.

ps: you ARE self-employed. Deal with it

Can you provide a link stating that HMRC can consider a person to be self-employed when they are the director of their own Ltd company?
Thought not..

[amcdonald]

Can you provide a link stating that HMRC can consider a person to be self-employed when they are the director of their own Ltd company?
Thought not..

It's what HMRC define as a Personal Service Company, see page 34 here

[vetran]

False self-employment
False self-employment is where someone whose engagement terms would dictate
should be treated as an employee falsely presents their terms and conditions as
though they would be self-employed.

Intermediary
An intermediary is an entity which interposes itself between a worker and the engager.
This includes personal service companies and Employment Businesses

Personal Service Company
A personal service company (PSC) is a small limited company thorough which a
owner/director provides there own personal service

blurring the line for tax evoiders.

There is an element of exploitation - e.g. delivery drivers & driving instructors being self employed but paying most of their money to BigCo for the pleasure of using BigCo's car/van/name and who are allocated work and direction by BigCo.

So unless you supply 'There own Personal Service" you will be fine

I assume Umbrella companies are in the firing line as well.

They need a checklist like the Australians.

It makes New Lie legislation look good.

I wonder if they will take on the luvvies & footballers?

[Platypus]

I wonder if they will take on the luvvies & footballers?

Ha ha don't be silly!

[d000hg]

russell is under the illusion (or just trolling) that you are either employed or you are not. This is clearly not the case so whether you are calling employing yourself through your own 1-man service company self-employment (as many mortgage providers do in a rare show of common sense) or a PSC (as HMRC do) the fact remains that sticking your fingers in your ears and repeating over and over "I am an employee" is at best misguided. If you don't earn most of your income as a salary, the "I'm a regular employee" line seems even less believable... you're not even acting like an employee of your own company!

[Platypus]

russell is under the illusion (or just trolling) that you are either employed or you are not. This is clearly not the case so whether you are calling employing yourself through your own 1-man service company self-employment (as many mortgage providers do in a rare show of common sense) or a PSC (as HMRC do) the fact remains that sticking your fingers in your ears and repeating over and over "I am an employee" is at best misguided. If you don't earn most of your income as a salary, the "I'm a regular employee" line seems even less believable... you're not even acting like an employee of your own company!

You make a fair - oh hang on, la la la I'm not listening

[expat]

This government seems intent on killing freelancing, funny I thought it would be a Labour government not the Tories who pulled the trigger!

Many people on here seem to think that they are "a real business" and therefore the Tories' "kind of people". It does not seem to me to be so: it looks like in the Tories' eyes we are workers and are therefore costs to business: to be minimised.

[Old Greg]

Many people on here seem to think that they are "a real business" and therefore the Tories' "kind of people". It does not seem to me to be so: it looks like in the Tories' eyes we are workers and are therefore costs to business: to be minimised.

Are we making our living through our own labour, or is our living derived from the surplus value of the labour of others which we control via our ownership of capital?

[northernladyuk]

I know a lot of CUK toilet traders are worried about this. It's a particular concern for MF and his ilk who wear client uniform on a regular basis.