Reply to: IPSE Perkbox rewards issue...

[JohntheBike]

This. Apart from it not being 2001 any more, it's about time the IPSE sceptics realised that membership is about a hell of a lot more than IR35.

membership is about a hell of a lot more than IR35

it might have been for some, but clearly not now for some long term members who have decided not to renew their membership in recent times.

[JohntheBike]

If you are a properly outside IR35 business, why would you need IPSE?

good point, but I guess history has a part to play.

[JohntheBike]

Aside from the lobbying and representation, does being a 'properly outside IR35 business' mean you're immune from tax investigations, VAT enquiries, jury service, client going bust?

the lobbying and representation

many would contend that this has achieved nothing with regards to IR35, which the PCG was originally founded to counter.

[malvolio]

Aside from the lobbying and representation, does being a 'properly outside IR35 business' mean you're immune from tax investigations, VAT enquiries, jury service, client going bust?

This. Apart from it not being 2001 any more, it's about time the IPSE sceptics realised that membership is about a hell of a lot more than IR35.

[mudskipper]

If you are a properly outside IR35 business, why would you need IPSE?

Aside from the lobbying and representation, does being a 'properly outside IR35 business' mean you're immune from tax investigations, VAT enquiries, jury service, client going bust?

[Laser7213]

several long term members, including myself, have not renewed their membership this year for a variety of reasons, as far as I can see. But I would entirely agree with your opinion. What benefit would there be to anyone other than one who is engaged on an outside IR35 contract. None as far as I can see. So the £300+ membership fee wouldn't bring any benefits, to the individual, that is.

If you are a properly outside IR35 business, why would you need IPSE?

[malvolio]

Isn’t the enquiry window following company shut down two years ?

My tax loss insurance provider states I have to maintain investigation insurance for two years following company close.

It's the year after the tax year in which you close down the company. That is when HMRC can raise an inquiry on the closing year's accounts. After that, unless you've done something fraudulent, you should be free and clear.

As for IPSE having no value post April, for some contractors (including me) you could be right, although the rest of the Plus package would still be valid protection. I still think this is a short term issue, and may well change once companies realise they either can't hire staff or are looking at expensive overheads they don't need. If that market does come back - with a lot more awareness over IR35 than previously - IPSE may have a serious role to play.

However, contractors as we understand them are about 15% of the self-employed workforce. There's a couple of senior locum doctors out there embroiled in IR35 cases for example. I get the sneaky feeling their broadening of their target market is actually quite sensible, long term...

[JohntheBike]

Isn’t the enquiry window following company shut down two years ?

My tax loss insurance provider states I have to maintain investigation insurance for two years following company close.

not sure about any time scales, but clearly it would be prudent to maintain such insurance for some time after company closure.

[dx4100]

Isn’t the enquiry window following company shut down two years ?

My tax loss insurance provider states I have to maintain investigation insurance for two years following company close.

[JohntheBike]

I'm guessing that they will have a significant membership drop in April.

several long term members, including myself, have not renewed their membership this year for a variety of reasons, as far as I can see. But I would entirely agree with your opinion. What benefit would there be to anyone other than one who is engaged on an outside IR35 contract. None as far as I can see. So the £300+ membership fee wouldn't bring any benefits, to the individual, that is.

[BoredBloke]

And less importantly, they've not done the best job of looking after contractor's interests

I'm guessing that they will have a significant membership drop in April.

[JohntheBike]

Site has no doubt been built by some shoddy lazy tax dodging contractor....

nah, an Independent Professional Self Employed person, it would be claimed and clearly not a BOS.

[dx4100]

Site has no doubt been built by some shoddy lazy tax dodging contractor....

[ladymuck]

For the first time ever I've remembered to look at Perkbox for a voucher before buying something. Turns out the entire business account (I assume they meant the ipse account, not perkbox) has hit some kind of limit and they're not issuing any vouchers today. It was a bit worrying to see this error message:

Oops! Something went wrong. (Code: PBPAYFraudThresholdHit)

Oh well, so much for that then.

[SuperLooper]

On the confirmation screen which shows the "Copy" button is a URL which isn't actually clickable, but which you can copy-and-paste into your browser. That takes you straight to the gift voucher in a printable form, or from where you can copy the voucher code.

(I just went through the process 5 minutes ago with a Currys/PC World voucher.)