The end

[MarkT]

So, that's that then I guess. No more contracting, unless we can fight it as a group and gain enough traction with Tory MPs to stop it by 2020. Not much chance of that, but you have to try.

Won't somebody think of the accountants?

[ladymuck]

People could join some organisation that fights for the rights of independent professionals and the self-employed. All coming together to fight a common cause and all that.

[northernladuk]

People said the same when IR35 was introduced, when it was reformed, when it hit the Public Sector and hey, guess what. We are still here.

Far too much to go on between now and then to be throwing the towel in.

[amrhady]

People said the same when IR35 was introduced, when it was reformed, when it hit the Public Sector and hey, guess what. We are still here.

Far too much to go on between now and then to be throwing the towel in.

Exactly this. Way too early to conclude anything, wait and see how the market will respond.

Also be sure there will be considerable pressure on the government between now and Apr2020, which could work to some extent.

[vwdan]

People said the same when IR35 was introduced, when it was reformed, when it hit the Public Sector and hey, guess what. We are still here.

Far too much to go on between now and then to be throwing the towel in.

I've spent a lot of my life being cynical, but I'm actually quite optimistic over this. I honestly think there'll be a brave new world for contractors who want to do 'real' contracting and can hold their nerve.

I've spent so much time persuading clients to treat me as a B2B that I find myself quite looking forward to it. Life's too short to let this define me - I contract for a large variety of reasons, and hopefully, most of those will still be valid.

[SussexSeagull]

Everything to play for. There will be a lot of conversation s between Finance and HR departments in the next 18 months and it was never totally adopted in the public sector.

[vwdan]

Everything to play for. There will be a lot of conversation s between Finance and HR departments in the next 18 months and it was never totally adopted in the public sector.

The problem is, and for a Tory government I'm surprised they can't grasp this, is that contractors don't just randomly exist. There's a market for it and if the private sector knows one thing, it's how to get what they want even if it means "working around" the rules.

The demand for contractors and what we do isn't just going to disappear, the roles aren't going to disappear, the work that needs doing isn't going to just disappear. It's like to trying to reduce drug usage by increasing tax on heroine.

[NotAllThere]

So, that's that then I guess. No more contracting, unless we can fight it as a group and gain enough traction with Tory MPs to stop it by 2020. Not much chance of that, but you have to try.

Won't somebody think of the accountants?

Oh. Is it 1999 again?

[PerfectStorm]

What are you panicking about? Almost nothing has changed.

[BR14]

. It's like to trying to reduce drug usage by increasing tax on heroine.