With potential spending cuts or tax rises looming in the autumn Budget, personal finance experts share six proactive steps freelancers can take now to safeguard their finances Surprises that come in boxes are usually a good thing. However, personal finance and pension experts say any surprises coming out of the Chancellor of Exchequer’s Red Box […]

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The increase in Employers’ National Insurance (NI) is likely to have the biggest impact on businesses that stopped using freelance workers because of the off-payroll working rules, says IR35 expert Introduced on 6th April 2025, Employers’ NI has gone up from 13.8% to 15%. At the same time, the point at which businesses start paying […]

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The UK’s self-employed must brace for HMRC’s latest direct debt recovery, penalty fees and filing burdens. But there is some promising news on the horizon: the government is coming down hard on tax avoidance schemes that target independent workers This article has been updated on 27.03.25 2025 SPRING BUDGET What is covered in this report: […]

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Trading financial security for a slightly less miserable hangover in 2025 and where to get “free” booze OPINION It’s March 2025, and I’ll bet my last bottle of cost-sensitive Spanish Verdejo that someone, somewhere, is trying to jam another crate of wine under their stairs. It’s a bit like the 2020 toilet paper panic, but […]

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HMRC has decided to be a little bit nicer and cut the interest rate they charge on late tax payments. This comes after the Bank of England snipped the base rate down a tad, from 4.75% to 4.5%. From the 17th of February, if you’re late paying your taxes, you’ll be charged 7% interest instead […]

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A technical glitch at Barclays Bank last Friday, 31 January, inadvertently revealed the little-known deadline for HMRC’s first late payment charges. The system failure prevented some Barclays customers, and potentially others, from paying their tax bill on time. HMRC relieved their fears, highlighting that penalties for late payments on account don’t kick in until later […]

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SPECIAL REPORT MPs, campaigners, contractors and small business owners across the country are outraged about the government denying them their call for a legitimate independent review of the Loan Charge Scandal as promised by Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Loan Charge and Taxpayer Fairness All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) speaks out and warns […]

The post Packham on loan charge scandal: “Treasury will do all they can to avoid the truth coming out” appeared first on Freelance Informer.

Gary Lineker’s high-profile IR35 dispute with HMRC has finally concluded, with the two parties reaching an out-of-court settlement. While the exact details remain confidential, the case offers valuable lessons for freelancers about navigating the complexities of IR35 legislation. The news follows the ex-football star and sports commentator’s spin-off TV production company Goalhanger Films’ going into […]

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Freelancers face potentially devastating tax bills due to complex “Managed Service Company” rules HMRC has issued a stark warning to freelancers, contractors, and consultants about the dangers of “Managed Service Companies” (MSCs). These complex tax arrangements could leave unsuspecting independent workers facing unexpected tax bills reaching tens of thousands of pounds. MSCs, often promoted by […]

The post This is how Managed Service Companies target uninformed and unsuspecting freelancers appeared first on Freelance Informer.

With the January 31st self-assessment deadline looming, HMRC has issued a warning to the UK’s self-employed workforce: be on your guard against a rising tide of tax scams New figures reveal a worrying 16.7% surge in reported scams targeting taxpayers, with almost 150,000 cases flooding into HMRC over the past year. Fraudsters are employing increasingly […]

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