Contractor limited companies and IR35 face Lords’ scrutiny
Contractor limited companies and IR35 are the subject of the newly formed House of Lords Personal Services Companies Committee. This new select committee has been formed to determine whether personal services companies are being used to avoid tax, and to establish the effectiveness of IR35. “We will consider the extent to which personal [service] companies are used and the implications for tax, National Insurance and other wider issues, both from the point of view of workers and those who engage them,” says committee chairman Baroness Noakes. More...
Contractors are “the engine of our economy”, says prime minister
Contractors received a welcome accolade from David Cameron this week in the run up to National Freelancers Day on 21 November 2013. The prime minister said: “Our country owes a huge debt of gratitude to the thousands of men and women who have decided to make their living as freelancers and entrepreneurs. You have not only taken your own future into your own hands, but you are the engine of our economy and economic revival.” This follows similar statements by London mayor Boris Johnson and entrepreneur Karren Brady. More...
IT contractors with mobile banking, UX and design skills in demand in London
Contractors with mobile banking, user experience and digital design skills are in demand in in London’s financial sector. The latest Morgan McKinley London Employment Monitor shows jobs stabilising during October 2013, with a marginal fall in new jobs alongside a surge in financial professionals seeking work. “From an IT perspective, digital is a rapidly growing market,” notes Morgan McKinley Financial Services operations director, Hakan Enver. “With two of the largest retail banks grappling to capture UK online and mobile banking market share, we have so far seen significant investment this year and next year looks very promising too.” More...
Contract opportunities outstrip contractor supply in Scotland
Contractor demand and contract vacancies across all contracting areas continue to increase in Scotland, with contractor availability deteriorating at the sharpest rate since December 2004. These results from October 2013’s Bank of Scotland Report on Jobs suggest that there are contracts to be had for contractors outside Scotland who are willing to travel. This month’s report also shows that the Labour Market Barometer, a key index measuring the health of Scotland’s labour market, reached its highest point in six years, “taking the index back to pre-recession levels”. More...
Clients are planning to hire more contractors over the next quarter – and year
Just under a third (30%) of contractor clients are planning to take on more contractors over the coming 12 months, and this hiring intention increases to 45% over the next quarter. The latest Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) JobsOutlook also shows that there has been a 9% increase in demand by clients for contractors and agency workers over the last month alone. More...
Contractors will form a core part of the ‘virtual networked’ workforce of the future
Contractors and other contingent and flexible workers will form a core element of the workforce of tomorrow’s organisations. This is according to a new thought leadership report by KPMG, which highlights three key workforce trends that will shape the workforce of tomorrow. KPMG partner David Fairs believes: “Tomorrow’s organisations will become increasingly dispersed with fewer core employees but a larger overall workforce, supplemented by virtual, networked employees.” More...
Up to 20,000 new jobs and contracts to be created for new oil and gas field
Up to 20,000 new jobs and contracts are expected to be created during the construction phase of a new offshore oil and gas field east of Shetland, following approval by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). According to BBC News, the Kraken field, majority owned by Aberdeen-based EnQuest, is estimated to contain 140m barrels of oil and will support 1,000 contracts and jobs each year during production. More...
Contractors to benefit from sustained recovery in manufacturing: CBI survey
Contractors with manufacturing sector clients are benefitting from the ongoing recovery of the sector. The Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI’s) latest Industrial Trends Survey shows output growth at its strongest level since 1995, reflecting improved performance both in the UK and overseas. “This new evidence shows encouraging signs of a broadening and deepening recovery in the manufacturing sector,” says CBI director of economics Stephen Gifford. “Manufacturers finally seem to be feeling the benefit of growing confidence and spending within the UK and globally.” More...
Contractors can win – or lose – contracts based on their social media profile
Contractors could be winning, and perhaps losing, contracts as a result of their social media presence online. OnRec reports that a survey by Oilandgaspeople.com shows that 82% of clients and employers search for potential candidates on social media sites, and 64% have rejected applications after reviewing social media profiles. The survey also found that 41% of recruiters believe that social media gives them better insights into whether or not a contractor is suitable for an assignment. More...
High earning contractors in the South East and South of England under HMRC spotlight
Contractors on high incomes living in South Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Surrey, Sussex and Wiltshire are the focus of a new HMRC compliance campaign. The new taskforce will be looking at individuals and business owners who have offshore accounts or who appear to be living beyond their means. “We are determined to support hardworking people who want to get on, but the people being targeted by these taskforces have no intention of playing by the rules,” says Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke. More...