Have you written to your MP yet?

[Zero Liability]

The top 1% don't get rich through the rest of us being taxed, the money doesn't go to them. And they don't care if the rest of us are earning £50k or £100k when they are all multi-millionaires.

You get rich by making money, not by stopping other people making it.

Not all the top of the 1% got rich by building or growing their fortunes by producing much of value. Close connections to the money printing presses and good political connections - including being a politician - help. Using the government to hinder your competitors or as a primary source of income also comes to mind. That is what people are objecting to; I by and large agree with your stance on the wealthy and the generation of their wealth, but we exist in a system where the political means can afford substantial wealth, and that can involve siphoning wealth away from others.

Although taken literally, it is quite true that you get rich by making printing money.

[mudskipper]

Zilch back from mine so far. I guess he must be researching a very detailed response...

[TheFaQQer]

Having heard nothing, I rang her local office and was advised to send it there instead. So I'll drop in a copy tomorrow (or ask my wife / children to do it for me).

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

We are going to be adding something to the website along these lines:

HMRC are planning to introduce new rules in April 2016 which will effectively stop most contractors claiming tax relief on the money that they spend travelling to their various contracts. It is entirely possible that MP’s are completely ignorant of the effects that these changes will have on the UK’s flexible workforce so we are asking you to use the points listed below in a letter or email to your local representative.

1) An introductory paragraph - I'm a highly skilled contractor engaged on a series of assignments, each of limited duration and often the workplace is some considerable distance from my home. Legislation requires me to be treated as an employee, each workplace is regarded as a "temporary" workplace and I am allowed to claim tax relief on the cost of travel and overnight accommodation.

2) Then a paragraph about the MP - You Mr/Mrs/Miss MP will recognise that lifestyle because like me your work in Westminster takes you away from home and like me you are allowed to receive tax free reimbursement of travel and accommodation costs. If you like you could say that's as it should be, it would be unreasonable to expect you to foot the bill to get from home to Westminster to carry our Parliamentary business.

3) From 6th April 2016 you will still be able to receive tax free reimbursement of travel and accommodation costs but because of legislation of which you are presumably aware I will no longer be able to claim tax relief on the cost of travel and overnight accommodation. As one of your constituents, (even better to say a constituent who voted for you if appropriate) will you please let me have your considered justification for this attack on contractors and reasons why, if this change applies to me it does not apply to you.

4) Conclusion - this needs to be a hard hitting paragraph on the lines that if the change comes into effect then the constituent faces two options. He/she will either refuse to make their expertise available other than within short distances of their home leading to skill shortages in remote locations and on major projects, or they will demand ever increasing rates for their services and thus increase the costs to businesses generally.

[SueEllen]

We are going to be adding something to the website along these lines:

HMRC are planning to introduce new rules in April 2016 which will effectively stop most contractors claiming tax relief on the money that they spend travelling to their various contracts. It is entirely possible that MP’s are completely ignorant of the effects that these changes will have on the UK’s flexible workforce so we are asking you to use the points listed below in a letter or email to your local representative.

1) An introductory paragraph - I'm a highly skilled contractor engaged on a series of assignments, each of limited duration and often the workplace is some considerable distance from my home. Legislation requires me to be treated as an employee, each workplace is regarded as a "temporary" workplace and I am allowed to claim tax relief on the cost of travel and overnight accommodation.

2) Then a paragraph about the MP - You Mr/Mrs/Miss MP will recognise that lifestyle because like me your work in Westminster takes you away from home and like me you are allowed to receive tax free reimbursement of travel and accommodation costs. If you like you could say that's as it should be, it would be unreasonable to expect you to foot the bill to get from home to Westminster to carry our Parliamentary business.

3) From 6th April 2016 you will still be able to receive tax free reimbursement of travel and accommodation costs but because of legislation of which you are presumably aware I will no longer be able to claim tax relief on the cost of travel and overnight accommodation. As one of your constituents, (even better to say a constituent who voted for you if appropriate) will you please let me have your considered justification for this attack on contractors and reasons why, if this change applies to me it does not apply to you.

4) Conclusion - this needs to be a hard hitting paragraph on the lines that if the change comes into effect then the constituent faces two options. He/she will either refuse to make their expertise available other than within short distances of their home leading to skill shortages in remote locations and on major projects, or they will demand ever increasing rates for their services and thus increase the costs to businesses generally.

That's really good.

I think you should encourage people to specifically spell out their own circumstances for example if they are an engineer who works in Cumbria this should be specifically stated. This because most people will just copy what you wrote without indicating the industry they work in.

[suityou01]

We are going to be adding something to the website along these lines:

HMRC are planning to introduce new rules in April 2016 which will effectively stop most contractors claiming tax relief on the money that they spend travelling to their various contracts. It is entirely possible that MP’s are completely ignorant of the effects that these changes will have on the UK’s flexible workforce so we are asking you to use the points listed below in a letter or email to your local representative.

1) An introductory paragraph - I'm a highly skilled contractor engaged on a series of assignments, each of limited duration and often the workplace is some considerable distance from my home. Legislation requires me to be treated as an employee, each workplace is regarded as a "temporary" workplace and I am allowed to claim tax relief on the cost of travel and overnight accommodation.

2) Then a paragraph about the MP - You Mr/Mrs/Miss MP will recognise that lifestyle because like me your work in Westminster takes you away from home and like me you are allowed to receive tax free reimbursement of travel and accommodation costs. If you like you could say that's as it should be, it would be unreasonable to expect you to foot the bill to get from home to Westminster to carry our Parliamentary business.

3) From 6th April 2016 you will still be able to receive tax free reimbursement of travel and accommodation costs but because of legislation of which you are presumably aware I will no longer be able to claim tax relief on the cost of travel and overnight accommodation. As one of your constituents, (even better to say a constituent who voted for you if appropriate) will you please let me have your considered justification for this attack on contractors and reasons why, if this change applies to me it does not apply to you.

4) Conclusion - this needs to be a hard hitting paragraph on the lines that if the change comes into effect then the constituent faces two options. He/she will either refuse to make their expertise available other than within short distances of their home leading to skill shortages in remote locations and on major projects, or they will demand ever increasing rates for their services and thus increase the costs to businesses generally.

What legislation requires me to be treated as an employee?

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

That's really good.

I think you should encourage people to specifically spell out their own circumstances for example if they are an engineer who works in Cumbria this should be specifically stated. This because most people will just copy what you wrote without indicating the industry they work in.

Thanks SueEllen

That's what we are hoping for - the more evidence that we have to present the better - i am not sure that our MP's have the faintest clue what impact this could have on UK businesses - we aim to change that

[Pondlife]

No reply from mine yet.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

What legislation requires me to be treated as an employee?

The legislation being introduced to curb T&S expenses is based on an employment status test so technically you would be considered an employee for the purposes of the legislation even if it were a 'disguised' employee

[mudskipper]

Great template Lisa, thanks!

Still nowt from mine