November 22nd - The death of contracting as we know it

[jamesbrown]

By pushing this through as part of the Taylor report changes - it will sail through with Labour support, which is why it's now and not next year...

The pressure won't come from Labour, it will come from Tory backbenchers before anything becomes HMG policy and hence part of a FB. It depends how strongly they feel about it. Leverage isn't applied vote-by-vote, it's about deals, and there are many other issues on which backbenchers have a decisive vote. If they were just going to do it, they wouldn't be briefing it out three weeks before a budget. They'd just do it in the budget. It's standard trial balloon MO - HMT/HMRC clearly want to do this (and had planned it from the start), but they also want to gauge pushback from business and the backbenches.

[eek]

The pressure won't come from Labour, it will come from Tory backbenchers before anything becomes HMG policy and hence part of a FB. It depends how strongly they feel about it. Leverage isn't applied vote-by-vote, it's about deals, and there are many other issues on which backbenchers have a decisive vote. If they were just going to do it, they wouldn't be briefing it out three weeks before a budget. They'd just do it in the budget. It's standard trial balloon MO - HMT/HMRC clearly want to do this (and had planned it from the start), but they also want to gauge pushback from business and the backbenches.

I suspect there will be pushback I also suspect that because there will be a lot of pushback from the Taylor report but it will be ignored and this will go through as part of said report (even though its got nowt to do with it)....

Time will tell but everything has so far played out exactly how I suspected it would - this is a year earlier than I expected but the chance to combine with Taylor is probably too good for HMRC to ignore...

[jamesbrown]

Time will tell but everything has so far played out exactly how I suspected it would - this is a year earlier than I expected but the combination with Taylor is probably too good for HMRC to ignore...

Yep, time will tell. It was always a question of "when". I take your point on Taylor, but Lurch has irritated pretty much every contingent on the backbenches in recent months, and they're looking for any opportunity to trip him. Combined with Brexit, the timing is not ideal. If the pushback is only moderate, they'll go ahead with a consultation in the Budget. I expect the pushback will be coordinated and severe, but that may only succeed in pushing off the implementation date or the details of what is done (after consultation). April 2018 remains impossible IMO.

[InsertWittyNameHere555]

I am a regular poster but using this account as to not draw myself above the parapet but......

I have seen the new PS rules first hand and there are ways round it which make me think that it will go to the Private Sector and will work.

I have seen people move away from one man bands into micro consultancies, biding for and winning contracts for defined pieces of work, delivering a service rather than a bum on seat, and I think this could work. Many have said we should throw the BoS under the bus if it means we can continue to offer a flexible work force, and if that is the case I will do so (self preservation and all).

We have all seen contractors at clients who are so far inside they are due a gold watch and a pension, they are not freelancers, they are disguised employees.

[eek]

Yep, time will tell. It was always a question of "when". I take your point on Taylor, but Lurch has irritated pretty much every contingent on the backbenches in recent months, and they're looking for any opportunity to trip him. Combined with Brexit, the timing is not ideal. If the pushback is only moderate, they'll go ahead with a consultation in the Budget. I expect the pushback will be coordinated and severe, but that may only succeed in pushing off the implementation date or the details of what is done (after consultation). April 2018 remains impossible IMO.

April 2018 is impossible but I was expecting April 2020 with things kicked off in November 2018. Now I suspect its kick off now for April 2019...

[Qdos Contractor]

April 2018 is impossible but I was expecting April 2020 with things kicked off in November 2018. Now I suspect its kick off now for April 2019...

That would be my guess too, perhaps with some refinements to the legislation beforehand. But you never know...

Seb

[Graham1967]

March 2019 Brexit

April 2019 Off Payroll rules in the private sector.

Glad people who know what they are doing are running this country.

[SeanT]

They need a couple of years to invent a new way of paying theirselves and their wives, surely?

[TheFaQQer]

IPSE initial response to the Times article:

IPSE director of policy, Simon McVicker, said: "It looks like the Chancellor will be targeting hard working self-employed people for the second Budget in a row, last time it was all self-employed with NICs and now it appears he is considering a targeted attack on freelancers.

"Changes to how freelancers operate in the public sector only came in recently and they have been a complete shambles. It’s ludicrous the Chancellor would even consider extending these rules when the public-sector roll-out has been so problematic. Because of it, significant numbers have been leaving the NHS causing shortages and we’ve seen reports of serious delays to projects at TfL.

"The UK’s flexible labour market gives us a major competitive advantage over other European countries, and helps to attract investment. The government should be trying to give businesses confidence about leaving the EU not drown them in red tape. Adding additional burdens on business at this time is just plain wrong.

"If the government is serious about addressing disguised employment it should implement a statutory definition of self-employment."

[ladymuck]

That would be my guess too, perhaps with some refinements to the legislation beforehand. But you never know...

Seb