Further Contract Eye Updates
Limited company contractors - the company secretary role
Although there is no longer a mandatory requirement to appoint a secretary, there are a number of administrative responsibilities the role can fulfil.
(Feb 25, 2009 in Limited Company )
Debt recovery help for IT contractors
We have set up a partnership with one the UK"s leading cashflow management companies to help IT contractors solve late payment issues with end clients and agencies.
(Feb 23, 2009 in Directory )
BP IT contractors latest to suffer contract rate cuts
BP is the latest company to tell its IT contractors to accept an across-the-board rate cut, or find themselves alternative work.
(Feb 20, 2009 in Market Reports )
IR35 status and the new HMRC penalties regime from April 2009
The HMRC penalties regime from April 2009 could prove financially damaging to contractors who haven't taken 'reasonable care' in assessing their IR35 status.
(Feb 13, 2009 in IR35 )
Darling confirms Budget date set for 22nd April
The Chancellor has announced that the 2009 Budget will be unleashed on 22nd April.
(Feb 12, 2009 in News )
IT contractor expenses - what can you claim for?
IT contractors are allowed to claim back expenses they have incurred during their business duties. This article looks at some of the most common expenses you might incur as a contractor.
(Feb 11, 2009 in Tax )
New IT procurement rules welcomed by contractor body
A new report which highlights a more cost-efficient and fair approach to public IT procurement has been welcomed by the leading contractor representative group.
(Feb 9, 2009 in News )
Capgemini IT contractors the latest to take rate cut hit
Capgemini is the latest firm to tell its contractors to take a 15% rate cut or face the chop - this will affect contractors on its 'Aspire' contract with HMRC.
(Feb 8, 2009 in Market Reports )
IT contractor indicted for planting malware bomb
An IT contractor, sacked by US mortgage company, Fannie Mae, has been indicted for trying to destroy the company's entire PC network and the data stored within it.
(Feb 6, 2009 in News )
Larkstar Data IR35 case to be re-heard on High Court orders
A controversial IR35 case involving Larkstar Data Limited will be re-heard by the General Commissioners following orders from the High Court.
(Feb 5, 2009 in IR35 )
Practical steps to review IR35 status and mitigate risks
In light of the Dragonfly IR35 verdict, a leading IR35 status expert suggests that contractors should review their IR35 status and mitigate their exposure to risk.
(Feb 3, 2009 in IR35 )
Leading contract recruitment agency defies downturn
SThree, one of the leading contract recruitment agencies announced good financial results for the last year, with a 20% increase in gross profits. The company had nearly 6,000 contractors on its books by year end.
(Feb 3, 2009 in News )
Contractor umbrella companies and expenses dispensations
Some contractor umbrella companies claim to have special expenses 'dispensations' from HMRC. We explain why such claims are often misleading and why contractors can only ever claim for expenses they have actually incurred solely for business purposes.
(Feb 2, 2009 in Umbrella Companies )
Public sector IT contract spending out of control
A national paper has revealed that some of the Government's biggest IT project costs have spiralled completely out of control.
(Feb 2, 2009 in News )
Podcast highlights importance of Dragonfly IR35 case
A freelance site has uploaded a podcast which discusses the landmark Dragonfly IR35 case, and why contractors should ensure that their contracts reflect the reality of their true working practices.
(Jan 29, 2009 in IR35 )
Job seeker details compromised in Monster job site hack
One of the world's leading job sites has admitted that hackers have stolen the details of potentially millions of job seekers who have registered to use the site.
(Jan 27, 2009 in News )
Aussie IT contractor pleads guilty to major hacking exercise
An Australian IT contractor has admitted causing massive damage by hacking into the Northern Territories computer system. His lawyer claims the contractor had suffered a "brain snap".
(Jan 27, 2009 in News )
Contractor umbrella company sees record growth
Parasol, a leading contractor umbrella company provider, has seen a near 300% rise in operating profit over the past year and predicts further success in 2009.
(Jan 26, 2009 in News )
Demand for IT contractors down by over 25%
The latest SSL survey shows that the decline in advertised IT jobs is approaching levels last seen 18 years ago. IT contractor demand is down by nearly 27% on the previous quarter.
(Jan 26, 2009 in Market Reports )
Survey launched to find out more about the UK's contractor workforce
The PCG, which represents the UK's IT contractors and freelancers has launched a major new survey to find out more about the nature of the UK's freelance workforce.
(Jan 21, 2009 in News )
Start-Up Guide :: Contractor recession survival tips
With rates on the slide and the number of contract openings shrinking, what can IT contractors do to ensure they get through the current market downturn intact?
(Jan 19, 2009 in Start-Up Guides )
HMRC gives troubled businesses extra time to pay tax liabilities
Thanks to a concession in the Pre-Budget Report, over 20,000 businesses have been allowed to delay paying their tax liabilities to HMRC.
(Jan 16, 2009 in News )
Contract length more important than job security for IT contractors
A leading contractor recruitment company says that job security was not a leading priority for IT contractors. Contract length and financial reward are the most important considerations when taking out a new contract.
(Jan 16, 2009 in News )
Project managers expect contract rate drops in 2009
New survey results show that project and programme managers are pessimistic about the year ahead, with many prepared to become permies or even leave the profession in 2009.
(Jan 13, 2009 in Market Reports )
Demand for permies and contractors slumps in December
The latest "Report on Jobs" shows that the demand for permanent and contract staff has severely declined over the past few months.
(Jan 12, 2009 in Market Reports )
A good contractor CV more important than ever
The importance of the CV has grown as competition for roles has increased due to the worsening jobs market.
(Jan 9, 2009 in Contract Work )
Has Google been steadily shedding its contractor workforce?
A leading global news network has acquired papers which suggest that Google has been steadily dumping large chunks of its IT contractor workforce over the past few months.
(Jan 9, 2009 in News )
New banking IT systems could provide boost to contractors
Proposals to create a very large IT system to speed up bank failure claims processing could provide a timely boost for financial services IT contractors.
(Jan 8, 2009 in News )
Will your contract be caught by the IR35 rules?
Overview of IR35 compliance factors including the Right of Substitution, Control and Mutuality of Obligation. Does your contract fall within the IR35 rules?
(Jan 8, 2009 in IR35 )
Barclays Bank axes 250 IT contractors
After a series of widely-publicised rate cuts in the financial services sector, today Barclays Bank confirmed that it will be laying off 250 IT contractors as the recession continues to bite.
(Jan 7, 2009 in News )
HMRC targeted by 'tax return refund' phishing scam
Many contractors will be amused to hear that HMRC is the latest organisation to be targeted by a 'phishing' scam.
(Jan 7, 2009 in News )
10 classic IT contractor CV Mistakes
How not to write a decent IT contractor CV - bad layout, content and presentation will ensure you will not be called up for an interview!
(Jan 6, 2009 in Contract Work )
Sharp drop in financial services IT contract offers
Statistics released by a pre-employment screening firm show that job offers for financial services IT contractors dropped by a massive 75% towards the end of 2008.
(Jan 5, 2009 in Market Reports )
Umbrella giant snaps up leading contractor accountancy firm
One of the UK's leading umbrella companies, Parasol, has acquired one of the best-known contractor accountancy firms - Quay Accounting.
(Jan 5, 2009 in News )
Still possible to work outside IR35, despite Dragonfly Consultancy verdict
The PCG has released a new edition of its IR35 Guide. Coming just months after a landmark IR35 court case, the group points out that it's still entirely possible to work outside IR35 if contractors take care.
(Dec 18, 2008 in IR35 )
IT contract rates - some of readers' views
Some recent feedback from our visitors about the current state of the IT contracting market.
(Dec 17, 2008 in Market Reports )
More engineering contractors waiting on the bench as economy worsens
The number of engineering contractors out of contract for over 90 days has jumped markedly over the past quarter.
(Dec 8, 2008 in News )
Contract rates continue to fall dramatically
There is growing evidence that average contract rates have fallen dramatically over the past quarter, with more contractors on the bench and those in contract often asked to take a mandatory rate cut.
(Dec 7, 2008 in Market Reports )
2008 Pre-Budget Report - the main points
In a massively political Pre-Budget Report, the Chancellor delivered his expected cut in VAT, introduced a headline grabbing income tax hike for big earners and deferred another 1p hike in the small companies' corporation tax rate. Income shifting legislation has been delayed once more and there will be no action on the travel expenses tax relief issue.
(Nov 24, 2008 in Tax )
BT job cull shows downside of flexible staffing, but what about the upside?
The recent BT job cut announcement has highlighted the vulnerability of contractors during lean economic times, but this is also an example of the reality of how flexible freelancers need to be to survive.
(Nov 17, 2008 in News )
Most contractors not confident of Managed Service Company rules
A new survey suggests that less than a quarter of contractors polled felt confident that they were operating within the Managed Service Company rules.
(Nov 11, 2008 in MSC Legislation )
JP Morgan joins other banks and cuts contractor rates by 15%
JP Morgan joins a host of other banks and slashes its contractor rates by 15%.
(Oct 30, 2008 in Market Reports )
Are your VAT invoice numbers unique and sequential?
Some contractors might be unaware of new rules which came into play in October 2007 which mean that VAT registered businesses must use unique and sequential numbers for their invoices.
(Oct 30, 2008 in Tax )
Claiming tax relief if you work from home
Small business owners are being urged to claim all the tax relief they are entitled to from HMRC.
(Oct 30, 2008 in Tax )
Agency Workers Directive passed - are contractors included?
The controversial Agency Workers Directive has been passed, unamended, by the European Parliament. Contractors are still unsure whether they will be affected by the new rules.
(Oct 25, 2008 in News )
Contractors shun professional IR35 contract advice
Most contractors aren't making the effort to ensure that their contracts are IR35 compliant, putting them at risk from HMRC investigations, according to a new survey. In fact, most contractors have never had their contracts reviewed.
(Oct 15, 2008 in IR35 )
Planned VAT change could add to cost of recruiting contractors and temps
The representative body for recruitment agencies says that planned VAT changes from April 2009 will add a huge cost to the recruitment of temporary staff and contractors.
(Oct 2, 2008 in News )
Business leaders need to understand the "freelance mindset"
A recruitment firm has urged private and public sector business leaders to get to grips with the freelance mindset and understand what an innovative resource freelancers can be.
(Sep 29, 2008 in News )
Contractors would abandon Labour at a General Election
A recent survey of 700 contractors revealed that virtually none of them would consider voting for Labour if a General Election was called tomorrow.
(Sep 26, 2008 in News )
Umbrella company becomes main sponsor of Hull KR
A leading contractor umbrella company provider has signed up to be the main club sponsor of Hull Kingston Rovers in 2009.
(Sep 25, 2008 in News )
