Latest misinformation

[Iliketax]

Love the fact that they claim all contractor loan schemes should be disclosed.

I'm not from HMRC, not a sympathiser, not trying to sell anything, etc....

But I struggle to see why the February changes mean that this statement is wrong. Any idea?

[DotasScandal]

I find this very hard to believe. We've seen the lengths and risks people go to through pure greed on here and there is little done in the way of basic research and even when it is it's often argued. If that is what people are like about fairly minor and clear cut stuff I can't help but think many more will have stuck with a scheme regardless.

When you live on CUK 24/7, it's easy to forget that CUK is not representartive of the contractor world at large. It's a particular type of contractor that even makes it to CUK.
Meanwhile, there is a worldful of contractors out there who, granted, made a catastrophically wrong risk assessment a decade or so ago, but are largely risk-averse and would have run a mile if sent a link like this. Most were sold on the "it's all disclosed to HMRC, it's low admin (i.e. it's risk-free and you have nothing to do)" line.
I said it before, I'll say it again: to issue such a "warning" after firebombing the whole place for a year with retrospective APNs is adding insult to injury.

[DotasScandal]

I'm not from HMRC, not a sympathiser, not trying to sell anything, etc....
But I struggle to see why the February changes mean that this statement is wrong. Any idea?

Hi iliketax. Maybe you could volunteer an explanation why HMRC would not create this very page, say, in 2004?

[BrilloPad]

HMRC were aware of the MP double taxation scheme in 2000. They choose to ignore it until 2008.

They should have closed it a lot faster.

CUK does not suit most contractors. Even in the professional forums, there is too much flaming and not enough help. Though it is a very useful site for those with issues to meet up and go to a private forum.

[jonnieboy]

CUK does not suit most contractors. Even in the professional forums, there is too much flaming and not enough help. Though it is a very useful site for those with issues to meet up and go to a private forum.

+1

[QCApproved]

Indeed
I can't speak for other people
but i know 3 people who would have not gone ahead having seen such a statement I'm sure including themselves everyone is aware of the same kind of number
Allied to this we should have had a paragraph:
"Please note any contractor tempted to use a loan scheme should bear in mind that IR35 is effectively unenforceable by us"

[NotAllThere]

Why not click on the "Is there anything wrong with this page?" link and say "yeah - it's 10 years too late".

[DotasScandal]

HMRC were aware of the MP double taxation scheme in 2000. They choose to ignore it until 2008.

Of course HMRC were aware of the MP schemes, and the various loan schemes too. They just held a very different view of things back then...though they are now trying to convince everyone otherwise. It's simply pure, unadulterated revisionism. See
How often does your Government lie to you?

[QCApproved]

Hopefully, at some point, a member of the judiciary at a level above the tribunals will be asking how matters reached this point and what was done to mitigate them because there might be causes of action founded here on equity, expectation and tort separate to tax law and it will become clear that HMRC had no idea and no policy for years and allowed a dangerous vacuum to develop.
There will be much umming and ahhing in the Court of Appeal hopefully.

[BrilloPad]

Of course HMRC were aware of the MP schemes, and the various loan schemes too. They just held a very different view of things back then...though they are now trying to convince everyone otherwise. It's simply pure, unadulterated revisionism. See
How often does your Government lie to you?

And they have got away with it.

Huitson has been appealed to UTTT - which will be lost and got to court of appeal. So maybe another 3-6 years until follower notices.