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IR35 reforms damage the ability for businesses to grow

by Susie Hughes at 15:35 06/04/22 (News on IR35)

New research released shows that despite half of UK businesses stating that they could not achieve their level of growth and outcomes without the help of contractors, a significant number of companies (28 per cent) have decreased the number of contracts they have given to freelancers since the reforms to IR35 in April 2021.

Advertisement The research conducted by YouGov on behalf of self-employment group, IPSE, looked at the impact of IR35 reforms on the clients of self-employed workers. It found that the changes to the off-payroll working rules have had devastating economic consequences for businesses, with almost half reporting that the IR35 reforms have had negative financial implications for their business. Implemented in April 2021, IR35 has shifted the responsibility for determining a self-employed worker’s employment status from individual freelancers to their clients. The reform has been widely criticised, with a number of organisations, freelancers, opposition parties and even some Conservative MPs calling out the reforms as flawed. It has also caused mass uncertainty in the sector, with ISPE research finding that more than a third of freelancers have closed their businesses since the changes. Rethink IR35 Freelancer group IPSE called on the Government to rethink the controversation IR35 proposals in order to help businesses rebuild after the Covid pandemic. Derek Cribb from IPSE said: “While the media, over the past year, has mainly analysed the significant and damaging impact of the reforms on self-employed workers, this research shows that the changes to off-payroll working has also hindered their clients. Businesses have long relied on freelancers to provide additional expertise and support. The changes to IR35 in the private sector in April 2021 have made it harder for them to hire contractors and has therefore made it even more difficult for them to grow during these turbulent economic times. “If the Government wants to help companies recover post-pandemic, then it needs to start by rethinking IR35. Self-employed workers provide a valuable service for businesses and without a Governmental review or further reform, companies will find they aren’t able to hire the necessary skills and talent that freelancers provide and that they are recovering at a slower pace compared to international competitors.” IR35 legislation in practice With IR35 being widely criticised for being confusing and overly complicated, the research found that IR35 has been a significant administrative burden for almost one in two businesses. Advertisement Moreover, while the reforms state that companies need to assess a freelancer’s employment status on an individual basis, one in five businesses have made a blanket assessment and decided that all their contractors are within IR35. In terms of carrying out an IR35 assessment for current engagements, just over a quarter reported that they use the Government’s much-criticised CEST (Check Employment Status for Tax) tool whilst over one-fifth of businesses stated that they make IR35 assessments themselves without using any tools or software. Of those that use CEST, the research found that it had led to a 35 per cent decrease in contractor engagement. It has been revealed by HMRC’s own statistics to be unable to make a determination in almost one in five cases. The full report is available here. Further IR35 information For more information about all aspects of IR35, including the controversial IR35 reforms see Shout99's News on IR35 section. Tweet -- If you wish to comment on this article, please log in and use the Reply button below. Registering is free and easy - see 'Join Shout99'. - Susie Hughes © Shout99 2022

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