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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In this article, we provide an abbreviated breakdown of the key proposals of The Employment Rights Bill pertaining to zero-hours contracts and non-compliance in the umbrella company sector. Plus, commentary from those serving contractors and umbrella workers. The Employment Rights Bill has moved a step closer to becoming law. This Bill will have overarching implications […]

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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. […]

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Freelancers left frustrated by latest government inaction over umbrella company tax avoidance protections Freelancers forced to work through umbrella companies were left disappointed today after the government’s announcement on tackling tax avoidance within the industry. Industry experts question why the taxmen have decided to kick the can instead of doing what they can. OPINION There’s […]

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SPECIAL REPORT If you are starting your contracting journey in 2024 or deciding to take an off-payroll job especially one that the recruitment agency insists you work via an umbrella company, then there are some crucial things you need to understand before accepting a contract: what is included in an assignment rate When a client […]

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The latest discovery by HMRC of an umbrella company servicing contractors is likely part of a tax avoidance scheme is a stark reminder to freelancers and temp workers that they must do background research on an umbrella company’s Companies House profile before signing up. HMRC won’t proactively do it, so you have to. A Sidcup-based […]

The post Another umbrella company caught in a tax avoidance scheme. The scope of damage yet to be determined appeared first on Freelance Informer.

Automating background checks to weed out tax-avoiding umbrella companies could save HMRC time and resources compared to manual investigations. It could also save thousands of freelancers financial heartbreak. Here we share 25 reasons why the latest AI should be seriously considered a solution to a decades-old problem. By using artificial intelligence (AI) for background checks […]

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OPINION HMRC spent 6.5% of its £6.8bn annual budget fighting tax avoidance, according to its 2022/23 expenditure report. For some people, this isn’t enough. They feel the tax authority should be spending more of its budget on “stopping the proliferation of tax avoidance schemes posing as umbrella companies,” one individual tells The Freelance Informer. That […]

The post “Why are we waiting?”: HMRC spent £451m of its budget to combat tax avoidance. Why isn’t the umbrella industry just regulated instead? appeared first on Freelance Informer.

The Treasury is proposing to double maximum sentences for the most egregious cases of fraud from 7 to 14 years to crack down on tax fraud and deter criminal actions, it was reported today. The Treasury is introducing tougher measures on promoters of tax avoidance, through draft legislation that will create a new criminal offence that […]

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Two employment tribunals have found that two umbrella companies made unlawful deductions from their employees whilst being FCSA-accredited. In a separate case, it has been found that a KC-approved ‘mini umbrella’ has cost taxpayers £50m through a network out of the PhilippinesTwo umbrella companies that were both members of the FCSA have been taking unlawful […]

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