Newsletter 476: Contractors wish for 'less interesting times'

by Newsletter Editor at 10:15 21/04/17 ( Shout99 Newsletter)

There is an old Chinese curse which is 'May you live in interesting times'. Whether it is factual or merely folklore, isn't known. But what is certain, is that contractors must wish they lived and worked in slightly less interesting times.

The much-criticised employment status rules (new-IR35) came into effect in the public sectors at the beginning of April, making contractors a potentially less attractive option for end-clients, who now bear the extra burden of identifying status and taking responsibility for it. Despite last minute changes which went some way to appeasing the agencies, there remains widespread hostility to the move - and there are renewed calls for a Government rethink. News and analysis of this story can be found in Shout99's News on IR35 section. Budget changes came and went in a flurry over whether increasing the self-employed NI contribution was a manifesto-breaking tax change or not. Eventually, a U-turn appeared. But with the call for a snap general election, all former manifesto bets are off, as the Prime Minister will be seeking her own mandate. News and analysis of what the General Election means for freelancers and small businesses will be ongoing in Shout99's Political News section. ********************* Other news in Shout99 ********************* Self-employed figures continue to rise Demand for contractors in financial services strengthening Five tax changes coming into force Tax campaigners set out agenda for ‘fair, simple, accessible’ tax system Article 50: What does the future hold for SMEs? Freelancer group calls for statutory definition of self-employment Self-employed welcome Government U-turn on tax increases Ask An Expert, our expert panel answers questions from freelancers on a range of subjects, including latest developments on the public sector's new version of IR35. ******************************** Advertisement - Qdos Contractor ******************************** Advertisement Qdos Contractor offers a wide range of insurance products and support for freelancers and contractors to assist in running their businesses and in all their encounters with HMRC. ******** Twitter ******** For the twitters and tweeters among our readers, you can follow Shout99's headline news on Twitter. ************************ Shout99 - Newsletter ************************ Please forward this newsletter to any other freelancer or small businesses who may be interested in news and information related to running a small business. You can subscribe to receive your own free copy of this newsletter on the home page of Shout99. Susie Hughes, Editor Newsletter 476 Shout99 - the network for freelancers Tweet

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