Getting client involved

[TheFaQQer]

I think you have to have be very self-absorbed to think that clients will care enough to read and understand even a one-sentence explanation of what IR35 is.

If any legislation is passed that would potentially cause them to have to assess status they will simply introduce a rule that will rule out any relationships where they might have to do that. For example they could specify that they will only take "temps" who are paid PAYE by the agency or an umbrella. (Yes I know you are the next Accenture, and it's a complete co-incidence that you started thinking of yourself as self-employed/a business at the time IR35 was introduced, but to the client you were, are, and always will be just a "temp.")

If they don't know, then they almost certainly will have to understand IR35 in the future - which is part of the argument. HMRC wants to either force the burden of assessment and tax collection onto the client (which they won't want) or to force them to change how they operate completely (which they may or may not care about).

My client engages hundreds of contractors, so if they need to start assessing them all then that impacts their operating model significantly - particularly since the vast majority of them are engaged directly as suppliers rather than via an agency. They find the resources for the roles, they fill the roles - so why should the government be able to dictate how they operate?

I'm sure many clients won't care about IR35 (until they have to care, of course) - but for those that do care (or should care) then waiting until the stable door is firmly shut and then saying "I wish more big businesses had said this is bad for them" or them saying "why didn't anyone warn us that we're going to need to change the way we work?" doesn't seem the right approach to be taking.

[TheFaQQer]

My client relies heavily on contractors to deliver professional services to their clients (a different area to the one I'm in). They want to know about stuff that could affect the way they do this. Contractors are dealt with through their PS dept, not human remains, so there's at least a better than nil chance that they'll respond if they know about it.

I deal with their dedicated "flexible resource centre", and then through accounts payable to get my invoices paid. It affects the whole way that that part of the business works, so even if they don't respond at least I've given them a heads up of what is coming.

[javadude]

My (direct) client is a Greek company. I doubt they care what HMRC are up to or want of them. I wonder how HMRC are going to force them to decide my SDC status for expenses and IR35?