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The business department is accused of deafening irony for using the effects of IR35 – ‘cost and uncertainty’ – to justify inaction.

Whitehall’s woes work wonders for late payers, as they keep reforms to fix the UK’s age-old problem off the table, somewhere in the long grass.

Amid the soaring heat, Hays explores somewhere else that’s also hot for many: the IT contractor jobs market.

Much of what’s needed to boost the UK’s flexible labour market is already on the shelf. But revoking IR35 will stay beyond reach.

In a landmark ruling for the umbrella sector, it’s officially ‘out’ with the pro-rating holiday pay formula of 12.07%, and ‘in’ with the 5.6 weeks’ calculation.

A review of the whole loan charge debacle, plus resolution for those taxpayers still with us, is the least, decent thing, our next PM should do.

In a heart-breaking development shattering a family, turning a lawyer speechless, and inspiring calls for chancellor Zahawi to intervene, another person has taken their own life over HMRC tax policy.

Right and wrong doesn’t really exist on a platform seeing itself as social. But there is a sweet spot.

Three more avoidance schemes to withdraw from if you’re a contractor get ‘named and shamed.’

Off-payroll advisers urge limited company workers to take heed of the terms, because courts are shining a light on what’s stated in the written agreement.

‘Unpredictability’ clouds the labour market, on the back of cost-fears and pent-up covid demand appearing to go in the opposite direction to skills shortages.

A very different starting 11 (with no substitution to boot) is handed to the soccer pundit, to explain why HMRC rightly blew the whistle on his status.

Hopeful, fearful, and even resigned to it not mattering. Other than being anti-Sunak, UK contracting is mixed about the top job being up for grabs.

‘Proactive transparency’ can bring brollies out of the shadows, potentially even to lance the boil that keeps getting inflamed, often by looking only at the legal position.

On the back of one-time IR35 critic Sajid Javid resigning, the Treasury boss who snubbed directors and imposed 2021’s off-payroll rules walks too, leaving Boris Johnson further in the lurch.

Contractors, the FSCA, and actual victims of Best Employment Services say eight years banned isn’t punishment enough.

Accreditation body backtracks on banning brollies from pocketing accrued pay, in what's being described as an 'open-and-shut case of the tail wagging the dog.'

But the optimism was only in the short-term, and before record-breaking inflation started to hurt.

Experts can’t find any trace of ‘IFCP’ -- apparently the UK’s ‘most prominent professional membership association for contractor providers.’

Running more than one remote contract at a time, on the sly, is a ruse with consequences we could all end up reaping.

Despite liability resting with umbrella companies in cases like ESL’s, it’s not open-season for you with your contractor expenses.

Excitement still surrounds HPVs, but the elitist universities’ list could put off the best, brightest, most exotic minds.

'Highly technical' court verdict against ESL makes its boss decide to bring his role with the umbrella compliance body to a close.

Posing as a contractor umbrella company, a promoter with ‘chutzpah’ joins the taxman’s blacklist.

‘Reasonable care, skill and diligence’ is required of PSCs. So don’t splurge, fail to file, or put doggie treats on expenses.

Lawyers, tax experts and accountants asked to give the ‘straight answers’ that the Treasury and taxman won’t.

Service providers were recognised last night for their efforts in supporting contractors. 

‘Separate yourself from the herd’ – and other top tips for contractors daunted by HMRC gearing up to test the untested.

Disqualified for eight years, not a lifetime, experts say the director of Best Employment Services ‘got off lightly.’

Soaring costs for organisations shone a favourable light last month on non-permanent hires.

Objections to Reg 80 determinations hit the Revenue, which can’t fix any ‘timeline’ for when it will respond to a single appeal.

‘Token gestures.’ ‘Forced bribes.’ Before the PM announces even a single measure, contractors aren’t biting.

Either as a business or consumer (or both), independent techies can now help shape the UK’s National Data Strategy.

The effects of Disguised Remuneration on ‘family formation, stability and breakdown’ have been the total opposite to what the taxman said they would be.

APSCo says a trio of routes for techies from abroad can’t be depended on to fill the short to medium term skills gap.

The Public Accounts Committee’s findings are cause to worry for companies, taxpayers and our economy, experts warn.

Lenders starting to test borrowers’ exposure to the cost of living crisis means lock-ins will take longer to put in place.

Some in the contractor sector admit to nursing a ‘few headaches’ – even before the four-day bank holiday weekend started.

With interest rate rises seeming far from over, remortgaging never looked so appealing -- even if it gives you a sting in the short-term.

The drawbacks of a new digital identity scheme will bite hardest where its potential is needed the most.

What MPs on the Public Accounts Committee have recommended; why, and when they want to hear how the taxman is getting on with implementation.

A ‘not doing enough’ taxman is told to stop ‘fiddling’ and find fixes for the ‘structural problems’ in his ‘poorly implemented’ off-payroll rules.

'A kaleidoscope of issues requiring a kaleidoscope of solutions,' is among the realties we tried to impress upon the UK’s DLME.

Issuing an ultimatum to walk works wonders for a contractor given umbrellas she didn’t want to use.

Contractor hiring body APSCo asks Rishi Sunak to probe an unfairness at best; an abuse at worst.

The government patting itself on the back on IR35 isn’t what’s irking contractors' fatigued advisers, who want ‘less talk more action.’

Pay premiums persist, even if demand for temporary techies was way ‘off its peak’ in April.

Better for the environment, worse for wellbeing? Studies on WFH increasingly say it’s exactly the opposite.

FCSA’s Chris Bryce says the furore about umbrellas withholding monies is easy to understand. The legal position; less so.

Standing back to take in the whole picture of the factual matrix is the unifying factor of numerous IR35 judgments.

Professional Passport CEO Crawford Temple on why, contrary to popular belief, regulation isn’t the best answer.

With the government excluding an employment bill amid ‘rife’ non-compliance, it’s left to Margaret Beels to do what ministers ‘unsurprisingly’ are shirking.

Amid more imposter companies registering with Companies House to commit fraud, one victim fears the end isn’t even in sight.

A small challenger group, or 85% of all contractor accountants? Regardless of which is proved to be the true scale, an HMRC win would have a big impact.

While advisers bicker about a bloody nose or not for the taxman, one limited company director must prepare to have her status picked apart for the fourth time.

‘Freelance’ in many senses of the term they may be, but two HMRC-hit presenters worked very differently to IT contractors.

The Loan Charge and Taxpayer Fairness APPG wants ‘enlightening’ submissions on the HMRC policy added to by experts.

The radio presenter is found wanting on a range of status factors, to the tune of £140,000.

Fresh from clearing JSA, the compliance group is told of ‘a lot, lot more’ to come than just a holiday pay pocketing allegation.

The IR35 reform-induced trend of unwilling employment? Like PSLs and holiday pay, ministers owe it to work-seekers to intervene.

‘Absolutely sickening’ of government to push bonafide business owners into ‘benefit-less’ employment.

Just like CVLs, insolvencies are going in the wrong direction for the recovery effort. So let’s all hope IR35 determinations continue to turn the corner.

With HMRC pursuing both accountants and contractors under MSC rules, the time for action is now.

Log-on to an accountant’s webinar on cyber-security as a PSC, now that hackers have undone a string of contractor service providers.

The TV presenter goes off-script to tell viewers what he really thinks of the taxman.

The Loan Charge and Taxpayer Fairness APPG is set to reveal the ‘awful situation people are in.’

Despite it being 15 years overdue, and him still not ‘cutting off the head of the snake,’ the taxman’s new blacklist is being welcomed.

The game of two halves is also a game of opinions – a bit like IR35, which another Sky Sports presenter has been defeated under.

Sympathies abound but unless the law changes, brollies get regulated, or the EASI intervenes, ‘Faustian deals’ look set to continue.

More contractor accountants getting assessed as MSCPs is ‘obvious’ but, for now, one firm is forcefully fighting back.

March saw temporary tech opportunities expand (again), but beware a stabilising, including in software development.

Chancellor’s ‘whopping’ fall from grace could be cushioned by his wife now agreeing to pay UK tax on dividends.

‘Just because you can doesn’t mean that you should.’ And other tax/life lessons that Akshata Murty’s status row can teach us.

Contractors who are directors are wating for the other shoe to drop. Here’s what we know so far.

Drilling down into the worrying reality that it’s now harder than ever to work on a contract basis -- courtesy of the taxman.

Penalties being issuable from today for off-payroll non-compliance could scare clients into IR35 status caution.

Out of the blue yet predictably, HMRC sends assessments to PSCs and their accountants -- as it tests ‘the floodgates.’

The April 1st launch of digital tax accounts is here. Don’t be a fool -- get clued up and compliant.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.'

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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