Last chance for contractors to have their voice heard in latest PCG survey
Contractors have just a few more hours to complete the PCG ComRes survey, ‘Take time today to think about tomorrow’, as the freelancing survey expires today. With publication being timed to coincide with National Freelancers Day on 23 November, the survey aims to find out exactly what contractors think about issues like skills, the future, the benefits of contracting and the part they play in the economy. PCG is urging all flexible workers in the UK to take the survey, share their views and be part of shaping the future. More…
Contractors get greater representation at the Office of Tax Simplification
Following the appointment last week of Kate Cottrell of Bauer and Cottrell to the Office of Tax Simplification’s (OTS) industry expert committee, PCG Chairman Chris Bryce has been invited to join the OTS Consultative Committee. According to Bryce, PCG is well positioned to represent contractors’ interests on the committee: “PCG will continue to offer the OTS every resource available to us. It is our objective that this process will produce a fair and effective solution for all small businesses.” More…
Widening UK tax gap could place contractors back under HMRC’s spotlight
Research published by HMRC and tax and research organisation Tax Research reveals that the UK’s tax gap, the difference between potential tax yield and actual tax paid, could be between £42bn and £125bn a year. Fortified with a post-Comprehensive Spending Review £900m war chest to tackle tax evasion and fraud, HMRC could once more turn its unwelcome attentions on ‘soft targets’ such as contractors. More…
IT contractor demand drops into negative figures
Against a backdrop of growth, albeit slowing, across most other sectors, demand for temporary workers in IT and computing fell last month, according to latest figures from the KPMG/REC Report on Jobs. Despite this, demand remains high for certain skills, with agencies reporting that net developers and business analysts are in short supply. Slowing overall growth was attributed in part to ‘softer demand’ from the public sector. KPMG Partner and Head of Business Services Bernard Brown explains: “Many public sector organisations have now started redundancy programmes or at least imposed hiring freezes, and at the moment the private sector is not creating new jobs in sufficient numbers to offset this public sector downturn.” More…
Outlook for contractors mixed as the services and manufacturing sectors show strong growth
This week saw the publication the Markit/Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for Construction, Manufacturing and Services with cautiously encouraging news for contractors across most disciplines, except in construction’s housing and civil engineering sectors. Construction activity is the weakest in eight months but still just in positive territory. Manufacturing activity has increased, showing the fastest rise in export orders in five months. Activity in the services sector, although still performing below expectations, has reached a four-month high. More…
Contractors serving manufacturing receive extra boost
The good news for contractors with clients in the manufacturing sector continues as the latest Confederation of British Industry (CBI) SME Trends Survey reveals that the UK’s medium sized and smaller manufacturers anticipate increases in output and exports of 31%. Headcounts have also increased with employment rising at the fastest rate since April 2008. More…
Space sector contractors quietly rising to prominence
The UK has been quietly rising to prominence in the international space science and engineering sector, according to The Engineer magazine’s Stuart Nathan. The space sector, a growing consumer of IT, engineering, technical and science contractors, shows such promise that it “was one of the few to escape the heaviest blows of the Treasury’s axe last month”, Nathan writes in an editorial opinion piece. More…
Lord Young takes over as new enterprise champion following ‘firing’ of Lord Sugar
Prime Minister David Cameron has appointed Lord Young as Adviser to the Prime Minister on Enterprise. Lord Young’s first task will be to report on how UK government departments interact with and affect small businesses, including limited company contractors. Lord Young has been appointed to replace former ‘enterprise tsar’ Lord Sugar, who was fired by the Prime Minister when the Coalition formed a new government in May. More…