Self-employed Articles

Union to take on Deliveroo over riders’ employment status
marketing | 16 September 2022
/ / / / / /

The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) will take on food delivery giant Deliveroo in the Supreme Court in an attempt to secure better employment rights for the company’s riders.

The court case will centre on the employment status of Deliveroo riders and the employment status they’re entitled to.https://deliveroo.co.uk/

Self-employed pension saving dips to record low
marketing | 8 October 2021
/ / /

Self-employed pension savings hit a record low in the year leading up the pandemic, according to figures released by HMRC.

Whether it’s through an umbrella company like Umbrella.co.uk, as a sole trader or through a limited company, more people are choosing to work for themselves. But the amount that self-employed workers pay into their pension pots is on the decline.

Survey: Lockdown and IR35 Affecting Contractor Wellbeing

IR35 concerns and the coronavirus lockdown has had a negative impact on UK contractor wellbeing and finances, a survey has found.

The survey of over 1,000 limited company contractors found that many were disappointed to be excluded from government support schemes like the self-employed income support and furlough schemes.

OECD calls for self-employed tax hike

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.

Umbrella.co.uk celebrating national freelancers day 2017

Today is all about recognising the hard work and dedication that goes into operating as a freelance worker, and helping those workers be fully aware of how to manage their business as effectively and smoothly as possible.

IPSE names worst offending late payers
marketing | 8 August 2022
/ / / /

In an effort to improve payment practices for self-employed workers, the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed (IPSE) has named the worst offending late payers in the UK.

Since April 2017, large companies have been required to report their payment practices to the UK government. IPSE has collated information from the latest data release to find the ten companies that take the longest time to pay.

The information covers payments to limited company contractors and other businesses. Payments to umbrella contractors are not included in this information, as these contractors are paid by PAYE.

How to go from sole trader to limited company contractor
marketing | 22 September 2021
/ / / / /

There are a number of advantages to operating through a limited company rather than as a sole trader. Working through a limited company is more tax-efficient. It also gives you limited liability, so you won’t be held personally responsible for business debts.

MP Calls for Shared Parental Leave for Freelancers

Labour MP and Shadow Education Minister Tracy Brabin this week called on the Government to extend Shared Parental Leave to freelancers and self-employed workers.

Currently, only people in traditional employment can get access to the scheme, which allows a mother and father to share leave and gives parents the ability to split the leave into blocks.

Parliament agreed to the preparation of a bill that would extend this right to self-employed workers after it was revealed that take up of the flexible work and pay scheme could be as low as 2%.

Brabin told MPs that the world of work is changing as more and more people classify themselves as self-employed. 

Three quarters of self-employed have no pension
marketing | 7 August 2017
/ / / /

A survey of British workers has revealed that almost three quarters (73 per cent) of self-employed people have no personal pension.

The survey revealed that self-employed Brits contribute less to their pensions each month, start saving for retirement later and are less likely to know what’s in their pension pot.

With questions raised about pension provision for contractors, the survey suggests that the pension industry is not meeting the needs of the self-employed community. 

18 perks employees get that freelancers have to pay for
marketing | 24 March 2017
/ / / /

Freelancers and self-employed people will be well accustomed to criticism from employed friends and colleagues.

Pages