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Bauer & Cottrell, which provides employment status services to limited company owners – particularly contractors, says that its first experience of HMRC’s new IR35 administration efforts was a positive one, with a client being declared free of IR35 within three weeks of a technical submission being made.
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A new survey of small company owners shows how partners and spouses are a valuable, trusted, and cheap source of support.
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The CIOT is the latest organisation to voice its opposition to the Government’s ‘controlling persons’ proposals, which would force organisations (both private and public) to tax consultants who currently work via their own limited companies, at source.
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The UK’s biggest contractor accountancy firm has conducted a survey of 1000 of its clients to help paint a picture of an ‘average’ limited company contractor.
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Industry body, PCG, has warned that Government proposals to clampdown on the use of limited companies by contractors and consultants could result in significant job losses.
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Kingston University and contractors’ group, PCG, have published some interesting findings from a comprehensive study of the UK’s freelance workforce.
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Companies House, the registrar of limited companies in the UK, has announced that it is to reduce its fees from October 2012, subject to Parliamentary approval.
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First introduced in 2005, Community Interest Companies are limited companies run for the benefit of the community, not merely for profit. CICs are regulated via a ‘community interest test’ and ‘asset lock’ to ensure that they are run appropriately.
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The second edition of the popular Contractors’ Handbook has been published. The updated edition contains expanded sections on the Agency Workers Regulations and the recent HMRC IR35 business test.
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The Treasury has published a consultation document on the introduction of a General Anti-Abuse Rule (GAAR) which will target specific tax avoidance schemes, some of which may be used by professional contractors.
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IT consultant, Steven Maxwell, has been jailed for 5 years following a trial which found him guilty of evading over £650,000 in tax and NICs via the use of offshore tax structures.
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Companies House has embarked on a series of upgrades to its online WebFiling facility, and is inviting feedback from members of the public on how appealing its new forms are.
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The controversial use of limited companies by some high profile public sector workers has resulted in new Government proposals to reduce the number of ‘off payroll’ assignments across all departments.
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The new HMRC IR35 guidance, which includes 12 ‘business entity tests’ to help taxpayers establish the risk they face of an IR35 investigation, has been universally criticised by industry experts. So, where should contractors go from here?
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Here is Company Bug’s overview of the business expenses can you claim back if you are working via an umbrella company scheme, including a look at what expenses dispensations are.
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Contractors’ organisation, IPSE, runs an ‘Accredited Accountant’ scheme to provide limited company owners with extra reassurance that member firms are fully qualified and trained to deal with the specific needs of contractors and freelancers.

The organisation was previously known as the Professional Contractors Group (PCG).
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HMRC has published its much-anticipated IR35 business test online today, together with a set of typical IR35 scenarios, in an attempt to help taxpayers assess their risk of being caught by IR35.
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A leaked letter from Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary of the Treasury, to Chancellor George Osborne has revealed that over 2,000 public sector workers are being remunerated via their own personal service companies.
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Once you’ve decided to become a contractor, there are a number of steps you will need to take before you can embark on a successful contracting career.
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