Spring Statement 2019 webinar: contractors, get your lowdown

A week today, Wednesday March 13th, chancellor Phillip Hammond will deliver his Spring Statement 2019.

Exclusively for Contractor UK readers, contractor tax specialist Orange Genie is going to run a free webinar to analyse the statement and gauge how it impacts contractors like you.

Dan Moss, a director at Orange Genie, which serves both umbrella company and limited company contractors, will be hosting the webinar on March 14th at 7:00pm. Register here.

He will provide in-depth commentary on all the contractor-centric announcements of the statement, and tackle specific issues that matter to you, including on how best to operate.

Some of the key areas that will be covered during the webinar include:

IR35 reform in the private sector

The contractor industry now knows that the private sector is going to be subject to reform of IR35 and that it will go ahead from April 2020.

Although the 2020 framework is expected to look much the same as 2017’s public sector reform (based on Orange Genie’s initial reading of the Off-Payroll Working in the Private Sector consultation document), there are some precise details and related guidance that simply you can’t afford to miss.

The Spring Statement will be Mr Hammond’s first speech since the official confirmation of private sector IR35 reform, so it may therefore contain new information. HMRC and HMT have had their say in the March 5th consultation; it’ll now be the government’s chance to have theirs. Whatever is announced, Orange Genie will share its latest thinking on IR35 reform and how you can prepare.

Tax avoidance measures

The government remains committed to anti-avoidance legislation and to stamping out non-compliance -- the combative stance of HMRC’s Jim Harra left nobody in doubt this week.

To that end, Loan Charge 2019 will come into force in April, and many contractors will face financial difficulty as a result. The webinar will outline both how to avoid getting caught out by avoidance schemes in general, and give specific advice if you’re affected by the charge.

Brexit

The ‘elephant in the room’ is that the UK is set for Brexit a mere two weeks after Mr Hammond sits down from his statement! This issue has been so politically-charged that it’s difficult to get reliable, non-biased information about what we can expect in the near future.

Will our economy be richer or poorer? Will demand for contractors rise or fall? Can you expect to earn more, less, or the same? The answers depend on who you ask. Assuming the chancellor reveals the government’s plans, the webinar will provide an analysis of how contractors like you will be affected by them, and what’s the likeliest scenario you’re facing. 

Surprise!

The Budget in the autumn is now the only major fiscal event in the UK’s calendar, so sweeping policy changes in the Spring Statement aren’t expected by Orange Genie.

However, as nothing is certain until the speech has been made, particularly in these uncertain times, and if anything unexpected does come up, the webinar will provide both analysis of ‘the surprise’ and practical advice.

And as this will be a live webinar, there will be a Q&A session at the end, allowing you to pose any queries you have about your own individual circumstances or set-up as a contractor.

Great! Sign me up  

This webinar has now taken place. If you missed it but you’re still interested in Orange Genie’s professional insights, you can receive a recording of the webinar by registering here.