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 […]

The post “HA-Haw”: Companies that blanket banned freelancers hit hardest by Employers’ NI increase appeared first on Freelance Informer.

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 […]

The post HMRC offers relief with interest rate tweak, but taxpayers still get a raw deal appeared first on Freelance Informer.

Former England Footballer Bryan Robson has joined the IR35 Decade Club despite winning most of his appeal to the First-tier Tax Tribunal. The case centres on services Robson provided to Manchester United as a Global Ambassador from 2015/16 to 2020/21 via his company, Bryan Robson Limited. Two IR35 and Off-Payroll experts provide their thoughts on […]

The post IR35: What freelancers can learn from Bryan Robson’s tax appeal case against HMRC appeared first on Freelance Informer.

Tribunal ruling could encourage more inside IR35 limited company freelancers to reclaim unlawful Employer’s National Insurance Contributions THIS ARTICLE WAS UPDATED AT 14:00 ON 09.01.25 A social worker engaged by the Home Office has successfully claimed nearly £37,000 (£36,826.65) from a recruitment agency after an employment tribunal deemed that “unlawful deductions” had been made from their pay. […]

The post Freelancer wins case against unlawful deductions made by recruiter 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 […]

The post Lineker’s IR35 Saga Ends in Settlement: Lessons for Freelancers appeared first on Freelance Informer.

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 […]

The post Easiest way to spot a tax scam if you’re self-employed appeared first on Freelance Informer.

HMRC’s reduced interest on late payments hides the refunds “elephant in the room” says one contractor sector specialist The UK tax authority, HMRC, recently announced a reduction in the interest rate charged on late tax payments, effective from the 18th of November. This change, from 7.5% to 7.25%, follows the Bank of England’s decision to lower […]

The post Should HMRC profit from taxpayers? appeared first on Freelance Informer.

The UK government has announced a major shake-up of the temporary labour market, aiming to tackle widespread tax avoidance within the umbrella company sector and improve conditions for workers. Legislation will be introduced that will shift the responsibility for Pay As You Earn (PAYE) from the umbrella company to the recruitment agency supplying the worker. […]

The post Umbrella companies will no longer be “legally” responsible for operating PAYE payments appeared first on Freelance Informer.

HMRC recently added four more tax avoidance schemes to its list of known promoters. While this should be positive news, it raises concerns about the effectiveness of HMRC’s anti-avoidance strategy. Qdos, a tax compliance expert, points out that despite identifying a growing number of schemes, thousands of contractors and freelancers remain at risk of non-compliance. […]

The post HMRC anti-avoidance strategy put into question following 100 identified schemes appeared first on Freelance Informer.