ipse Articles

Freelancers Feeling Inflation More Than Most

marketing | 20 September 2018

Freelancers are feeling the latest inflation rise more than employees, according to the Association for Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE).

The warning for freelancers came after the Office for National Statistics revealed that inflation rose by a higher than expected 2.7% in August.

Measured by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), this was the highest monthly price increase in six months.

Jordan Marshall, IPSE’s Policy Development Manager said: “Freelancers will be especially hard hit by this jump in inflation not only because, unlike employees, they pick up their own business costs, but also because they travel more to win and work on different contracts. They will particularly feel the effect of the 13.5 per cent jump in air fares, because many of them take up contracts overseas and travel long distances in the UK.

Private sector IR35 consultation expected soon

marketing | 23 March 2018

Last week, the Government’s Spring Statement warned that a consultation on extending IR35 off-payroll working reforms to the private sector could be due soon.

Off-payroll working didn’t make it into the Chancellor’s speech, but buried in a supplementary document the government did make mention of the rule changes.

The document says that “in the coming months,” the Government will publish “a consultation on how to tackle non-compliance in the private sector, drawing on experience of the public-sector reform.”

Contractor confidence slips to record low

marketing | 7 September 2017

The latest Freelancer Confidence Index, measured by the Association for Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE), has shown the poorest outlook on record in the second quarter of 2017.

Despite a continuation of high day rates for contractors, the survey showed that only 19% of freelancers were confident about how their business would perform over the next year. This was down a whopping 9% on Q1 2017.

Bad reaction to public sector IR35 proposal

marketing | 22 August 2016

Industry insiders have responded negatively to a consultation on the government’s latest IR35 proposal.

The proposal would see public sector organisations made responsible for determining the IR35 status of a contractor. Practically, this means that many more Personal Service Company contractors will be caught out by the IR35 legislation.

The contractors would be forced to pay tax as if they were traditional full-time employees, without enjoying any of the same employment rights and benefits.

Many inside and outside the industry see this as unfair. There is also a large amount of concern about some of the proposal’s unintended consequences.

The Freelancer & Contractor Services Association (FCSA) warned against leaving the decision to parties that will struggle to make an accurate IR35 assessment.

Government blamed for contractor confidence crisis

marketing | 24 November 2015

ipse

Contractor

Freelancer Confidence Index

contractor cap

autumn statement

An index measuring contractor confidence has dropped significantly in the third quarter of 2015, with government attitudes towards contracting the apparent root cause.

The Freelancer Confidence Index which is conducted by The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed (IPSE) has recorded a significant decline in the latter parts of 2015.

The index score measuring contractor’s business prospects has dropped negative for the first time ever.

Private Sector IR35 Could Cost Contractors £14,000

marketing | 19 June 2018

As the government consults on plans to extend IR35 rules to the private sector, self-employment organisation IPSE claims that the changes could ‘strangle’ contractor living standards.

IPSE claims that the ‘inhibiting, anti-business’ policy could cost contractors an average of £14,000 per year in lost income.

Using average day rate (£430) and average weeks worked (42 weeks per year) figures from IPSE’s Freelancer Confidence Index, they calculate that a contractor’s take home pay will drop significantly.

OECD calls for self-employed tax hike

marketing | 24 October 2017

Calls from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to revive plans for a self-employment tax hike have been met with scorn and confusion from self-employment pressure groups.

The last budget, delivered before the general election in June, included plans to increase National Insurance Contributions (NICs) for self-employed workers.

But in an embarrassing U-turn the Chancellor was forced to drop the tax hike when MPs pointed out that it contravened a 2015 election promise not to increase VAT, NICs or income tax.

Possible legal challenge on IR35 decision

marketing | 1 December 2016

IR35 reform

Public sector contractors

ipse

Legal Challenge

Employment Law

Following last week’s Autumn Statement the government’s position on public sector IR35 reform is clear. But Britain’s judges could block the plans if they are shown to contradict employment law.

Set to be introduced in April 2017, the public sector IR35 reforms will lead to many public sector contractors losing some of their take home pay and the changes could have some nasty unintended consequences for public services too.

Chancellor urged to write a small business friendly budget

marketing | 15 March 2016

Federation of Small Businesses

Two organisations representing the interests of small business owners and self-employed workers have urged the Chancellor to deliver a budget that backs enterprise on Wednesday.

George Osborne, they argue, has to recognise the impact that small businesses have on the economy in terms of driving growth and creating jobs.

At a time when tax and pension changes are making things difficult for business owners, it is crucial that the Budget statement sends a strong signal to small businesses.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) used its pre-budget statement to urge the Chancellor to reform business rates and simplify the tax system.

Majority of contractors want to stay in EU

marketing | 6 November 2015

Majority of contractors want to stay in EU: EU membership

A survey has found that a majority of UK contractors would vote to stay in the European Union (EU) if a membership vote were held tomorrow.

The research, which was published by The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE) last week, found that 61 percent of contractors want Britain to remain a part of the EU.

This majority outweighs the 24 percent who would vote to leave and the 14 percent who were undecided.

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