IT Contractors Appear Unphased By Government Cuts

Techmarketview recently surveyed a selection large and small IT firms that rely on government contracts to ask them how they think the government spending cuts will affect them.
The UK software and IT industry relies on the public sector for nearly a third of its £33bn in revenues. But existing government contracts are being scrapped or [...]

HMRC Scraps Seven Day Grace Period

HM Revenue and Customs have announced plans to scrap the seven-day ‘grace’ period for filing company tax returns and employers end-of-year returns affecting contractors working through their limited company. From March 31st 2011, these returns must be submitted to HMRC by the required dates.
The seven day ‘grace’ period meant that HMRC did not issue penalties [...]

Contractors work out their options with the new ICS calculator

Contractors can now compare how much they can earn through PAYE, an Umbrella Company or a Limited Company, with a new contractor calculator by Independent Contractor Services (ICS).
The calculator, available at http://www.ics.me.uk/contractor-tax-calculator, is designed to be fast and simple to use. Contractors simply enter their daily [...]

Do Clients Expect You To Work Longer Hours?

A contractor recently asked the contractor community for help after his client told him they expected a contractor to work a 9-10 hour day, even though his contract stated a 7.5 hour day. He is worried that his contract might be terminated if he does not work the hours the client now expects.
This made us [...]

Fraudsters Could Target Limited Company Contractors

Contractors that work via their own limited company have been advised to check their details on Companies House frequently. This is because fraudsters are increasingly targeting the official registry to clone identities.
CPP Group, a leading provider of Life Assistance products and services said company owners hit by identity fraud faced an average bill of £13,500, [...]

Contractors Urged To Weigh Up Their Options

Contract Eye recently wrote an article about the advantages of disadvantages for contractors, of working though your own limited company or via an umbrella company.
A large proportion of contractors work via their own limited company, or via an umbrella company and they wanted to help contractors when they are deciding which option to use.
Many contractors contract via limited companies [...]

VAT Payments By Cheque To Change On April 1st

Contractors working through their own limited company should be aware that from April 1st, 2010 all cheque payments for VAT, sent to HMRC by post will be treated as being received by HM Revenue and Customs on the date when cleared funds reach their bank account. It will no longer be the date when HMRC [...]

Client Tactics Revealed

Creditsafe yesterday unveiled research which revealed that more than 90% of firms have had to send invoices again and again over the past year because of clients’ tactics to delay payment for a contractors work. This has also affected contractors invoicing the client directly through their own limited company.
Contractors awaiting payment for work already completed [...]

VAT will return to 17.5% on January 1st.

HM Revenue and Customs has confirmed that the rate of VAT for most firms will revert to 17.5% on January 1 2010, despite pleas for a postponement. HMRC said that all businesses, including contractors with limited companies, who apply the standard rate, will be affected by the move from the date.
From the first week of [...]

Is Contracting The Way Forward?

Hamish McRae, writing for The Independent discussed how he believes there will be an increasing shift towards self-employment over the next few years. With the jobs market continuing to be hit hard by the recession, it has been suggested that enrolling on an electrical training course and becoming self-employed could be the way forward. [...]