Contractor UK

More than £21,000 in interest has appeared in repayment demands sent to a contractor and his wife, despite earlier statements confirming that certain interest charges were no longer payable. ContractorUK is investigating whether the figures add up — and whether other contractors have spotted the same thing.

November’s Churchill Knight MSC hearing has been vacated, an ironic prelude to Wednesday October 28th’s Budget from chancellor John Healey — the very financial secretary who reportedly promised his 2007 rules would be narrowly applied, not still causing havoc almost 20 years on.

Umbrella regulation alone won’t drive out the cowboys, says the veteran sales director, who marks his 2026 exit by answering 26 questions on JSL, licensing, kickbacks and why 2016 will still outrank 2027 — plus what he’s seen, what’s changed, where the industry is heading and where he’s off to (clue: somewhere ‘youse’ might swap a doughnut for a cheesesteak).

Despite being far from comprehensive, new employment status proposals could still help more than 900,000 people. But weakening Substitution to get there risks undermining outside IR35 contractors’ defences and skewing IR35 assessments — all in the name of making good unpopular ‘gig economy’ tribunal defeats.

A long-promised government consultation on employment status could protect vulnerable workers without undermining genuine contractors. But officials leave inside IR35 contractors outside, warns former Treasury employment status adviser Rebecca Seeley Harris, meaning those taxed as employees with zero rights have until January 8th to speak up.