Spring Statement 2022, what a dog’s breakfast from Rishi Sunak

Dry as a bone is an understatement to describe the chancellor’s statement. And that’s being kind.

Spring Statement 2022, what a dog’s breakfast from this chancellor

Dry as a bone is an understatement to describe Rishi Sunak’s statement. And that’s being kind.

FCSA calls on government to stop umbrella company cloning

Trade body wants a multi-organisational response to ‘strike off the clones’ and ‘pursue the perpetrators.’

National press covers umbrella companies falling victim to Companies House cloning

The Mirror reports on the contractor sector’s new fraud, with serious implications for ‘brollies and their users’ not being prevented by the BEIS agency.

What is a tangible fixed assets depreciation policy?

For contractors, the key is to draw up something that’s reasonable, to meet the ‘true and fair view’ requirement.

Spring Statement 2022: Contractor staffing sector frustrated by 'jam tomorrow' chancellor

Rishi Sunak’s ‘here’s what we’ll do later’ package fails to engage contractor recruitment bosses.

Contractors, DBS checks will cost LESS from April 6th

The fees for criminal record checks are refreshingly, bucking the current prices trend.

Remortgaging is trending since Spring Statement 2022 so contractors, get in fast

Money Saving Expert agrees -- for those looking for the best mortgage deal, banking on anything less than a broker isn’t a risk worth taking.

Pressure heaps on Rishi Sunak following Spring Statement 2022

A contactless card; someone else’s Kio Rio and even his wife’s reported dividends. The chancellor’s response following his mini-Budget has not been on the norm.

What the National Insurance threshold increase means for contractors

A breakdown of the NICs floor going up in July, by which times rates will have gone in the same direction.

A contractor’s guide to ‘trickster’ Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement 2022

The mini-Budget untangled, with expert analysis on what the chancellor did and didn’t announce.

Spring Statement 2022: ‘Quiet’ for contractors despite take-home pay reverberations for all

‘Nothing much’ new from the chancellor affecting contractors gives pause to tot up how much he’s giving, and taking away.

Spring Statement 2022: chancellor’s full speech

Rishi Sunak delivers his mini-Budget, ‘to build a stronger, more secure economy for the UK.’

Recovery Loan Scheme: what contractors need to know

Potentially due to feature at Spring Statement, RLS is open until June -- pending a change of heart from the chancellor today.

Can directors and employees receive gifts from a limited company?

Tax is due to be your main consideration when looking to give or receive as a PSC contractor.

Why Treasury minister Lucy Frazer’s reply to IR35-critical peers is so very uninspiring

Contrary to the minister’s letter, the communicating, listening, learning taxman simply didn’t make an appearance before either off-payroll rollout.

FCSA to fix 'woolly wording' on holiday pay, as it investigates 'morally indefensible' JSA Group

New FCSA code set to specify to Workwell/JSA and other member-umbrella companies that ‘use or lose it’ on contractor holiday pay isn’t acceptable.

JSA response to withholding holiday pay allegations

In full: Workwell’s statement responding to what it’s accused of doing to a contractor when it was JSA Group.

Contracting Awards 2022 finalists announced

Entries have now been sorted, scrutinised and judged by the panel to create impressive shortlists.

A contractor’s guide to Capital Gains Tax

An overview to a very complex area of tax law, particularly without advice: CGT.

Spring Statement 2022 suspected to start extending IR35 reform to 'small companies'

Contractors will for once hope advisers are wrong; and HMRC is right -- that it’s ‘too early’ for any extension to be a 'done deal.'

What are the Conduct Regulations?

An explainer of the 2003 rules, in force to govern agencies and protect all who use them -- including contractors.

Loan Charge contractors called to counter HM Treasury’s ‘glossing over’

Details are sought from contractors, to help the Treasury move towards ‘compassionate’ from ‘failing to provide’.

Your umbrella getting hacked is so yesterday. What now your agency looks next to be hit by cyber-attackers?

Three staffing agencies have been hacked – not that any of them are letting on, to you or the ICO. Here’s what contractors can do.

What is the cost of IR35?

How much being inside the off-payroll rules can set contractors back.

How often should contractors pay themselves dividends?

A recap of why dividends are important to contractors, when to pay them, and looking forward to April 2022.

Faster-growing IT contractor jobs market ‘reset’ in February

Opportunities for techies on a temporary basis return ‘energetically’ to their pre-Christmas levels.

Escrow: A contractor’s guide to third-party payment services

Explainer on escrow and how the payment platform can be used in contracting.

Tax rates and bands for contractors in Scotland

Overview of Scottish taxes, thresholds, and bands, plus IR35 considerations north of the border.

What is the depreciation period and rate for business laptops or computers?

Overview to the writing down of assets over their useful lifetime, including why it matters.

HMRC asks employers to feature NICs message on contractor payslips

Generic statement, or political message? Either way, the taxman wants the aim of the Health & Social Care Levy communicated.

IR35: Our not-to-worry taxman is cause for us all to have serious concerns about HMRC

The off-payroll rules are a disaster much of the government’s own making. But as the PAC effectively got told, ‘not to worry.’

Loan Charge-critical MPs hope Harra answers what Frazer failed to

Taxman asked to do better than the minister on disguised remuneration, by giving ‘direct answers’ that don’t ‘divert and confuse.’

Contractor late payment times 'getting worse, rather than better'

Findings from Wonda Pay lend credit to the Small Business Commissioner’s fear that firms are having to wait even longer to get paid.

A contractor's guide to dormant and non-trading companies

When your limited company is inactive -- what to do; what you can forego, and where you’ll save.

Can I do my self-assessment myself?

As the term implies, going it alone as an HMRC ‘self’ assessor is possible. But it’s not for the faint-hearted.

What HMRC’s IR35 session with the PAC says about off-payroll failings in the public sector

Pointing the finger, arrogant and shirking responsibility. HMRC’s appearance in front of MPs perhaps revealed more about the self-serving taxman than about IR35.

HMRC CEO Jim Harra 'not in the real world' on contractors and IR35

Probing the off-payroll rules, PAC chair Meg Hillier mockingly accuses the top taxman of not normally inhabiting reality.

Does my contract need to be in writing?

Why words are wisest to take care of the three Cs – Complexity, Certainty, Coverage.

Ignorance for Loan Charge contractors isn’t bliss, eight times over, as tax year-end looms

Contractors at the sharp end of the tax year face limited options, lots of HMRC notices, and little to no room for ignorance.