disguised remuneration Articles

Last year was a challenging year for almost everyone in the UK, including umbrella workers. Many of these challenges are likely to continue this year, but there will also be opportunities for umbrella workers to prosper in 2021.

In this article, we look at some of the most important challenges and opportunities facing umbrella workers this year.

The controversial loan charge, which affects contractors who participated in ‘disguised remuneration’ schemes, could be scrapped after Chancellor Sajid Javid commissioned an official review into the tax.

The new review will conclude by mid-November to give taxpayers certainty ahead of the January Self Assessment deadline. It will be led by Amyas Morse, the former chief executive of the National Audit Office.

The Treasury has confirmed that the 2019 Loan Charge will take effect this week, despite appeals from MPs, members of the House of Lords and Loan Charge campaigners.

HMRC released a last-minute statement on Wednesday, reminding Loan Scheme users that they have an obligation to pay the tax owed.

The statement urged users of disguised remuneration schemes to come forward and settle their debts by April 5. The tax authority also said that ‘flexible’ payment options are available to those that worry they will not be able to pay.

Contractors who have participated in a disguised remuneration loan scheme have until 30 September 2018 to send settlement information to HMRC, or they risk paying an enormous bill in the 2018/19 tax year.

Disguised remuneration schemes are tax avoidance schemes in which participants receive income in the form of a ‘tax-free loan’, rather than traditional income.

HMRC counts this type of loan as income and says that tax is due on it. In 2017, the government introduced the ‘2019 loan charge’ to retrospectively collect tax money from disguised remuneration scheme losers.