BBC to give freelance staff contracts after tax review

[pcgtron]

Hi all, Long time browser of this forum but 1st time posting on it.

This whole thing with the BBC and loan out companies could well become an issue in the long term. Whilst I do not work in the IT contracting field, I do work in the TV and Film industry and it's been a long running thing that people set up limited companies throughout the industry. Yes, a lot of the conversation within these articles is directed at the on screen talent, I wonder how much longer it will be until this starts affecting all the freelance crew as well.

I am one of these freelance crew, and whilst I am not too scared about IR35, all these reports about the Beeb are probably going to have a long term effect on people like myself.

All these newspaper articles however, could end up scaremongering these corporations to no longer accept Ltd's as a way to pay their freelance workers. I provide my own equipment, work on contracts that vary from 1 day to 6 months but are very rarely above the 6 - 8 week mark and I usually work for at least 4 companies in any one year, sometimes working on more than 1 job at a time. However, I do get told by my superiors where I have to be and at what time, it's just very rare that my Superiors work directly for the BBC, they are usually freelance workers themselves.

Anyway, I will keep looking at these reports until HMRC come up with a definite response.

Sorry if this doesn;t make too much sense, just waiting patiently for my wife to go into labour so pretty tired

[malvolio]

Freelancers dopay their fair share of tax.

It's us tax dodging people who use limited companies who don't.

And the reason we have to use limited companies to do freelance work isn't our fault.

I pay the fair amount of tax mandated by UK tax law. No more, no less.

Anyway, on air celebs are clearly caught by IR35 anyway. In the credits for every programme there is someone called a "Director", so clearly the on air people are under direction... QED.

[SueEllen]

I'm worried about the wider effects on the future of contracting.

What if private sector businesses decide to join in so as not to be seen as a nasty company who hires overpaid contractors/freelancers who don't pay their "fair share" of tax? It'd be good for PR after all.

Freelancers dopay their fair share of tax.

It's us tax dodging people who use limited companies who don't.

And the reason we have to use limited companies to do freelance work isn't our fault.

[northernladuk]

I think we have to becareful with all this scaremongering about the Beeb and look carefully of what we do and the differences to what celebs do. Just because they are freelance it doesn't mean they are the same as us. We could be said to provide consultancy in areas that the Beeb don't have the skills. This is a different classification to what Celebs do. You can't get away from an organisation needing consultancy to fill skill gaps but you can re-think the whole classification of Celebs.

For the moment I believe they are very separate so can't think we are in the firing line at this stage just because we use a LTD company. That aspect might be similar but the work we do isn't.

Take careful note of words like 'on-air' before getting too worried. The devil is in the details at the moment IMO

[kingcook]

I'm worried about the wider effects on the future of contracting.

What if private sector businesses decide to join in so as not to be seen as a nasty company who hires overpaid contractors/freelancers who don't pay their "fair share" of tax? It'd be good for PR after all.

[shelby68]

I worked at the beeb for a year and I'd say at least 1/2 of the back room people are contractors (well over 3/4 for the project I worked on), could be interesting if people start getting classified as "employees" and placed inside IR35 or offered permy contracts, the place will empty.

[quackhandle]

I do wonder how this could work? Don't many "slebs" write articles in newspapers, novels, etc. How would it work for say a comedian who appears on Live at the Apollo (BBC) and also 8 Out Of 10 Cats (C4)? Surely that would be quite restrictive in having just one contact with the beeb? So the Top Gear team would have to make their crap festive DVD's through the beeb and not own/other production company?

qh

[northernladuk]

The paper I read said the BBC were going to assess each contract to see if the person's involved had other outside interests that made them totally "freelance"

This will be interesting to see how restrictive their BBC contracts are. Obviously they can't work for rival broadcasters but what about personal appearances etc. I would like to know if this is covered by the BBC contract. If not then it would be pretty easy to show substantial outside work surely?

[Sausage Surprise]

The paper I read said the BBC were going to assess each contract to see if the person's involved had other outside interests that made them totally "freelance"

Edit: I see that article says much the same too

[northernladuk]

That is only 'on-air' staff though.....

[kingcook]

Bad times...

BBC to give freelance staff contracts after tax review