Philip Hammond seemed to wrong-foot the entire contracting industry in his first Autumn Statement (AS) today, November 23rd 2016, by not stating “IR35” once, neither in his speech, nor in his full report.But at AS 4.11, entitled ‘off-payroll working rules,’ the Treasury confirms that it will shift the responsibility and liability for IR35 in the public sector from PSCs to the ‘paying agents’, from April.It means that an adviser to contractors was right to tell ContractorUK on the eve of … [Read more...]
IR35 research subjects make charges against HMRC
Participators of behind-closed-doors research into IR35 and employment status that HMRC commissioned have spoken out from the shadows, due to dissatisfaction with the department.Called to the Revenue’s offices to help it develop the IR35 digital tool, which is meant to be launched before April, an accountancy firm accused the tax staff it met of a worrying level of naivety.“They still look at assessing IR35 status by thinking everybody operates in exactly the same way,” the firm said, … [Read more...]
The door is firmly shut
ContractorUK has recently written that “Temporary staff agencies have avoided hundreds of millions (if not billions) in tax”…………..HOW? By a scheme that far too many agencies are allowing contractors and temporary workers to register with – THIS HAS TO STOP.In simplistic terms, the scheme pairs up all the workers, and routes them through a myriad of smaller Limited Companies. Clearly, these are NOT TRUE Limited companies. These mini employment companies are ultimately exploiting both VAT … [Read more...]
Jobs of the future may not have stable hours, holiday pay, sick pay, or pensions, DWP secretary says
Damian Green describes development in the labour market as 'exciting'.Jobs of the future may not have stable hours, holiday pay, sick pay, or pensions, the Work and Pensions Secretary has said.Damian Green described the trend in employment practices towards the so-called “gig economy” as “exciting” and said the changes had “huge potential”.The Cabinet minister’s endorsement of the approach comes a month after an employment tribunal found that drivers for the Uber car service should … [Read more...]
Know your status, Know your rights
It’s been a particularly crazy couple of weeks; Uber, Delivery firm Hermes, Deliveroo and Amazon. Whilst this ever growing list will no doubt expand further, partnering with a reputable and credible payroll provider will help mitigate this risk.Highlighted below is an overview of recent cases;The Uber tribunal concluded that Uber drivers should be classified as “workers” rather than self-employed, meaning they will be entitled to certain statutory rights such as minimum wage. Commenting … [Read more...]
“Self Employed” – Are you sure?
Today’s blog focuses on the events/PR sector. Whilst no different to any other sector, adherence to the numerous, and often complex HMRC guidelines/requirements require focus and close attention.Whilst “cheap” is no doubt good for the bottom line, does this provide longevity in either the solution of the long term for a business?At ePayMe, we work with many within this sector. Similarly, we speak with a plethora of prospective clients and come up against a couple of common themes, but … [Read more...]
ePayMe in partnership with racing driver Clayton Kingman
We are thrilled to announce our partnership with racing driver Clayton Kingman. Clayton will be heading to Anglesey to take part in the Race of Remembrance this weekend (11th - 13th November 2016) and we are delighted to be sponsoring him for this special event.Clayton is known, not just for his racing talent, but for his 'Twitter to Track' story which has inspired many others to follow in his footsteps.45 teams will embark on a 1,000km endurance race with over 150 drivers competing … [Read more...]
Travelling to work now counts as work, rules European Court of Justice
Time employees spend travelling between work and home should legally count as working time, according to the European Court of Justice.The highest court in Europe has ruled that workers who do not operate from a permanent workplace should be able to charge employers for the time taken to commute to work, which they are currently not permitted to do. The controversial ruling will impact millions of workers and their employers. Most employees will be pleased with the ruling, as … [Read more...]
HMRC ‘unwilling to give any steer’ on IR35 changes
The taxman is “unwilling to give any steer” on his approach to April’s IR35 changes to the very parties who will be liable and responsible for those changes, an agency body alleges.This current reticence by HMRC to provide the parties with the “real detail” on how the new rules will work makes it probable that it won’t be released until next year, says APSCo.The agency body reached this conclusion after it held a meeting with the Revenue’s policy officers Neil Chattell and Julie De … [Read more...]
97% of contractors much happier than employees, says new survey – find out why
Satisfaction levels amongst contractors are significantly higher than those of permanent employees, as more workers around the globe choose to make the leap into flexible working.The findings in ‘Independent work: choice, necessity and the gig economy’ – a study by McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) – show that 97% contractors are much happier than their permanent counterparts, recording greater satisfaction levels in almost every aspect of their work.The report also shows that:Up to … [Read more...]