Reply to: PCG vs QDOS

[malvolio]

Yes it does. PCG is at the time your investigated, not the time you worked.

The only exception is if you're already under investigation when you join, that case won't be covered, which is only reasonable.

And as I keep saying, PCG doesn't do insurance. It represents its members, unconditionally, and insures itself against the costs of doing so.

[Sockpuppet]

Hi my Qdos IR35 insurance expires soon and I want to get PCG plus, does the PCG plus tax insurance part of it cover contracts prior to the date you sign up to PCG plus ?

thanks

Yes it does. PCG is at the time your investigated, not the time you worked.

[kingcook]

Hi my Qdos IR35 insurance expires soon and I want to get PCG plus, does the PCG plus tax insurance part of it cover contracts prior to the date you sign up to PCG plus ?

thanks

Thread is over 4 yrs old

[Bumfluff]

Hi my Qdos IR35 insurance expires soon and I want to get PCG plus, does the PCG plus tax insurance part of it cover contracts prior to the date you sign up to PCG plus ?

thanks

[wattaj]

MonkeyWorld...
Thanks for the clarification on your particular case.

As Malvolio has said, your experience of the PCG helplines is being discussed within the PCG.

Please feel free to PM me here, or in the other place, if you'd like to provide more information on your experience with the PCG helplines.

I hope that we can use this feedback to help to improve the PCG offering going forward.

[malvolio]

Yup, this has hit the nail on the head... this was my disappointment with the PCG... I was looking for some help/advice to try and ensure that my IR35 investigation either didn't get v.far, hopefully got ended quickly (if that ever happens!) or so that I didn't incriminate myself in answers that would harm their defence of me later on. Instead got met with a 'come back later' when you are caught response. Didn't make sense, some early advice would pay dividends later in my defence I would of thought.

That's the problem: you're looking for representation when what you need is advice. What you want(ed) is exactly what PCGPlus provides, that's why it's there. As I said, you should have gone to the forums.

And in the office's defence, we have 17,000 members, the phone doesn't stop ringing and it's not exactly a call centre in there. Answers tend to get standardised...

[MonkeyWorld]

Surely it would be in everyone's interest for the PCG to advise its members what to do in the preliminary stages of these investigations, in order to prevent any investigations proceeding further?

Although given its advice on P35 Q6, I'm not convinced it would do any good.

Yup, this has hit the nail on the head... this was my disappointment with the PCG... I was looking for some help/advice to try and ensure that my IR35 investigation either didn't get v.far, hopefully got ended quickly (if that ever happens!) or so that I didn't incriminate myself in answers that would harm their defence of me later on. Instead got met with a 'come back later' when you are caught response. Didn't make sense, some early advice would pay dividends later in my defence I would of thought.

[malvolio]

Surely it would be in everyone's interest for the PCG to advise its members what to do in the preliminary stages of these investigations, in order to prevent any investigations proceeding further?

Although given its advice on P35 Q6, I'm not convinced it would do any good.

Sorry, don't understand...

The advice is three parts:

"This is how to stay out of IR35"

"If Hector sticks you with an IR35 investigation, call the office and stand back"

"If you have Plus and HEctor sticks you with any kind of investiogation, call the office and stand back"

Don't see how much more we can do, tbh.



The P35 thing is a red herring. They published the advice they were given by some serious experts, based on the position immediately post budget when this whole thing kicked off. The world changed ater that advice was given and it all got very confused. There is still no definitive answer.

[EvilWeevil]

Surely it would be in everyone's interest for the PCG to advise its members what to do in the preliminary stages of these investigations, in order to prevent any investigations proceeding further?

Although given its advice on P35 Q6, I'm not convinced it would do any good.

[MonkeyWorld]

Thanks. I can't promise PCG can do anything immediate to help your own case, for which apologies, unless you actually get hit with an IR35 case (in which case stand well back!) but you have highlighted something that is hugely valuable in a debate within the PCG.

That aside, get on to the PCG fora and ask away. You don't have to use the helplines to get informed help, and there are no Malvolios over there to take the Michael.

Cheers Malvolio... yup, I need to get on the forums more... things have calmed down a bit at the mo for me, my PAYE investigation is almost settled and my IR35 one is just ticking along, but feeling a lot more confident now time has gone on. I've now got to the point where I just accept what will be will be, I might lose, I might win, but either way there's not much I can do about it now other than make use of all advice at my disposal (forums included) to provide the best responses possible.

[malvolio]

Thanks. I can't promise PCG can do anything immediate to help your own case, for which apologies, unless you actually get hit with an IR35 case (in which case stand well back!) but you have highlighted something that is hugely valuable in a debate within the PCG.

That aside, get on to the PCG fora and ask away. You don't have to use the helplines to get informed help, and there are no Malvolios over there to take the Michael.

[MonkeyWorld]

I have to admit that I'm genuinely surprised by the treatment that you seem to have received.
It's just not the experience that others have reported.

Can you direct me to a link on the PCG fora where you raise these issues?

If there is something wrong with the offering (and I really don't think that there is), then help us to fix the problem and give you the support that you need and expect.

The PCG is in the business of helping the freelance community.

Whenever I've raised questions on the PCG forum I've always received largely useful advice (and don't get me wrong, the PCG membership fee is almost worth it alone for the forums and advice from people on there). However, when I had a PAYE review and that was then followed by an IR35 info gathering exercise I decided to contact the PCG helplines rather than raise my questions/concerns/requests for advice publically on the forums (rightly or wrongly).

Now I agree with you, I don't think there is anything wrong with the offering, however, what I've found is that the PCG helplines will answer questions, but long and short of all of my dealings has been ask us a direct question and you'll get an answer....however, when my request was more I'd like some advice on what might happen next and will there be any help in dealing with it....the response has essentially been, 'well you can call the tax helplines as much as you want, but you're not a PCG Plus member so no representation or further assistance kicks in until you are deemed inside IR35'.

Then I received further letters from the IR gathering info and I contacted the helplines again, I told them what they were requesting and this time I was asked to send them in, to provide the letter + contracts to the PCG = great - some help Then a week or so later, back comes a letter, essentially saying again, 'you're not a member of PCG Plus...please contact us again when the IR deem you insider IR35'. By this time, how I wish I could upgrade to PCG Plus, buy more insurance, etc. but no, no-one will upgrade/sell you insurance once an IR35 investigation has started - or even just a PAYE review kicked off.

Anyway, in stark contrast to that, a few chats with QDos, and they are more than happy to help and advise me, although cautious over time they spend (for free = fair enough), but more than happy to provide plenty of advice to Freelancer club members. Can I join even though PAYE review + IR35 review in progress, answer yes, no probs... oh, and here's a COA questionnaire to help gather the working arrangements....contact us when you want.
My opinion is a massively different level of service to someone that wasn't even a 'customer'.

PCG will hopefully be great when my PCG insurance kicks in, but during the IR35 info gathering stage I felt like no-one wanted to help. Sorry, not kicking the PCG and maybe this is over dramatic, but it's how I felt at the time when the IR were knocking,... when I needed them most they weren't there.

[wattaj]

...I did expect to get better help from the PCG rather than the responses I have had ...
...which are basically, you're not a member of PCG Plus therefore we can't help you with anything until IR deem you are caught - then come back to us and your insurance will kick in for representation...
...rather than me having to call the PCG helpline every 5 mins and try and drag info out of them...
Don't think I'm being harsh...
...the contrast in help/advice between the two has really surprised me, especially consider the difference in amounts I've paid the two organisations.

I have to admit that I'm genuinely surprised by the treatment that you seem to have received.
It's just not the experience that others have reported.

Can you direct me to a link on the PCG fora where you raise these issues?

If there is something wrong with the offering (and I really don't think that there is), then help us to fix the problem and give you the support that you need and expect.

The PCG is in the business of helping the freelance community.

[malvolio]

With my PCG hat on, I find this worrying on several levels. I shall do some digging...

[MonkeyWorld]

Perhaps wasn't totally clear, I am a member of the PCG... I do know what questions to ask - been a contractor for over 10yrs now and v.clued up on IR35, S660, etc. I appreciate that I should of bought the PCG Plus cover, but I did expect to get better help from the PCG rather than the responses I have had ... which are basically, you're not a member of PCG Plus therefore we can't help you with anything until IR deem you are caught - then come back to us and your insurance will kick in for representation.

The response for some help/advice from QDOS however, was... yep, sure no problem if it's just general questions and not going to cost us too much in time we're more than happy to help particularly if your a member of the £40/yr Freelancers club. Advice has always been prompt and they've even been pro-active in advising me on what'll happen next, etc. rather than me having to call the PCG helpline every 5 mins and try and drag info out of them.

Don't think I'm being harsh...the contrast in help/advice between the two has really surprised me, especially consider the difference in amounts I've paid the two organisations.