The end

[sal]

We have an acquaintance of the family with two years service in the public sector in an IT role who has just accepted a different job still in the public sector on a shade less than GBP 52,000 per annum. The person is 27. Good luck to them, there's life beyond IR35 it seems? (BTW - Not in London so no London style salary).

There is much more to contracting than net pay. I would rather eat my shoes, than going through weekly F2F and bi-annual development plan/review and begging for an annual leave approval

[BR14]

There is much more to contracting than net pay. I would rather eat my shoes, than going through weekly F2F and bi-annual development plan/review and begging for an annual leave approval

I'd rather eat Your shoes than do that krap

[Hobosapien]

There is much more to contracting than net pay. I would rather eat my shoes, than going through weekly F2F and bi-annual development plan/review and begging for an annual leave approval

There's more to life than contracting. I'd rather have a successful plan B than work away from how week in week out, living out of a suitcase in a hotel or b&b where the bed sheets may look clean. Then slog through the commute back home each weekend for a couple of days of true freedom before it all starts again.

I was fortunate that my last contract was 100% WFH otherwise I'd have jumped ship sooner.

Currently in the planning phase of a plan B that hopefully, this time, won't crash and burn taking much of my warchest with it. Even if that happens, a silver lining is I'm going to use it to upskill into some new tech I can then put on my CV and go for more interesting contracts once the gravy train for those skills arrives, likely next year.

Carry on and keep invoicing, but always be planning an exit before the exit finds you.

[OneManBand]

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.

Just noticed this post from just over a year ago. Famous last words, eh?

[fiisch]

We have an acquaintance of the family with two years service in the public sector in an IT role who has just accepted a different job still in the public sector on a shade less than GBP 52,000 per annum. The person is 27. Good luck to them, there's life beyond IR35 it seems? (BTW - Not in London so no London style salary).

Youngsters have it hard these days, but presumably income support will boost him to an acceptable living wage...?

[BritishLad88]

There is much more to contracting than net pay. I would rather eat my shoes, than going through weekly F2F and bi-annual development plan/review and begging for an annual leave approval

I share same view. For a genuine contractor net pay is only one element of it. The thought of not doing F2F, bi-annual development plan/review is one reason drove to contracting first place. However, we can’t underestimate the financial gains that comes with it. It’s significant compared to perm.

Having said that... for the non genuine contractors (disguised employees) *cough cough* they’re more concerned with the net pay! Also, you’ll find a lot of these types of contractors working for “big banks & enterprises” who need to beg for approval of their annual leave. Funny thing is they’re happy to work in this kind of working practice.

[BrilloPad]

For a genuine contractor

Another poster who does not get it. HMRC believe there are no genuine contractors. They want to decide what tax is paid, regardless of rules.

[Hobosapien]

HMRC believe there are no genuine contractors.

I dunno, seem to have heard more about them deeming their own contractors outside IR35 than in.

All the hoo-ha about IR35 and the private sector overlooks that the fundamental rules on what makes a contractor inside or outside IR35 haven't changed. They've just changed tactics on who makes the determination, which appears to be causing somewhat of a horse stampede amongst the easily scared managers that default to a risk averse position due to not understanding the rules enough. HMRC will be congratulating themselves on that, as like you say they are concerned with tax income rather than worker rights.

[BritishLad88]

I dunno, seem to have heard more about them deeming their own contractors outside IR35 than in.

All the hoo-ha about IR35 and the private sector overlooks that the fundamental rules on what makes a contractor inside or outside IR35 haven't changed. They've just changed tactics on who makes the determination, which appears to be causing somewhat of a horse stampede amongst the easily scared managers that default to a risk averse position due to not understanding the rules enough. HMRC will be congratulating themselves on that, as like you say they are concerned with tax income rather than worker rights.

Exactly, the fundamentals rules of determination haven't changed at all, just shifted focus towards the Clients to make the decisions. Like you say, if they get it wrong then they would be liable hence many of them are taking a risk adverse approach (in particular the big enterprises etc...). I still feel though there would be a small minority of smallr-med size companies willing to take outside IR35 contractors on though. In particular those who require a flexible workforce. But opportunities like these i feel would be more & more less in future.

[rogerfederer]

Exactly, the fundamentals rules of determination haven't changed at all, just shifted focus towards the Clients to make the decisions. Like you say, if they get it wrong then they would be liable hence many of them are taking a risk adverse approach (in particular the big enterprises etc...). I still feel though there would be a small minority of smallr-med size companies willing to take outside IR35 contractors on though. In particular those who require a flexible workforce. But opportunities like these i feel would be more & more less in future.

"More and more less?"

A moreless future for us all!