Dave's Blog

Dave Chaplin, CEO of Contractor Calculator, started working in the City of London in 1994 and became a contractor in 1997. He has consulted for blue-chip firms including Cable & Wireless, Merrill Lynch, HSBC, and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. After eight years contracting, Dave left contracting to focus full time on ContractorCalculator.

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IR35, tax avoidance and Ed Lester: a potent mix threatening contractors’ livelihoods

Contractors are right to be worried by interim management contractor Ed Lester’s trial by media, because an unjustified backlash might be the result.

Last week | Fri, 03 Feb 2012

IR35 Forum: are contractors ever going to get answers?

Contractors have seen few tangible results from the IR35 Forum, and there is a worrying lack of information from HMRC about the progress made.

Last week | Thu, 02 Feb 2012

Davos 2012 was a possible paradigm shift for contracting worldwide, if not in the UK

Contractors underpin ‘talentism’ and the ‘contingent workforce’ that has been brought to the attention of the global elite at this year’s WEF in Davos

Last week | Mon, 30 Jan 2012

Contractors from abroad keep the UK highly skilled, competitive and opportunity-rich

Inward migration of contractors benefits the UK contracting sector, offers contracting clients choice and keeps our flexible workforce competitive.

Two weeks ago | Mon, 23 Jan 2012

AWR’s impact on contracting has so far been minor, but a Y2K moment could be looming

Contractors have so far remained relatively unaffected by the Agency Workers Regulations, but that could soon change, suggests a survey by APSCo.

Three Weeks ago | Thu, 19 Jan 2012

Contracting and an independent Scotland might mix as well as a good malt with Irn-Bru

Scottish centres of contracting excellence in oil and gas, offshore engineering, IT and gaming could be hit by an independent Scotland.

Three Weeks ago | Tue, 17 Jan 2012

Is your agency’s margin too high? Then think ‘better negotiation’, not ‘dodgy agent’

Contractors complaining that their agency is ripping them off ought to consider blaming, and upgrading, their negotiations skills.

Last December | Tue, 20 Dec 2011

HMRC asked for examples showing IR35 processes don’t work: JLJ Services is a good one

HMRC has been asking other members of the IR35 Forum for concrete examples of why IR35 processes don’t work. The JLJ Services case is a good one.

Last December | Thu, 15 Dec 2011

Contractor rate reduction déjà vu: contracting rates under threat again, ten years on

Contracting rates may be threatened, just when they’d almost recovered from the dotcom crash. But not all contractors need take the pain.

Last December | Tue, 06 Dec 2011

IR35 is not only here to stay, but HMRC’s compliance activity can only increase

Good progress by the IR35 Forum is potentially a cause for real concern by contractors, as it signals a new era of greater compliance.

Last November | Mon, 28 Nov 2011

Contractors are not quite inflation-proof, but they can choose when to take pay rises

Contractors are not immune to inflation and its impact on real pay, but they have much greater control over their income than employees.

Last November | Thu, 24 Nov 2011

How to guarantee you won’t win that next contract, and always lose the best contracts

ContractorCalculator just advertised for a new salesperson. The response was shocking & highlights the importance of doing what the contract ad asks.

Last November | Tue, 15 Nov 2011

IR35 and new FOI revelations: Where are HMRC’s missing IR35 millions?

Like characters in a detective novel, IR35, P35 and new Freedom of Information admissions reveal a mysterious tale of HMRC’s missing tax millions.

Last November | Wed, 09 Nov 2011

Limited company contractors claiming AWR rights have little chance of avoiding IR35

Limited company contractors can’t have their cake and eat it: asking for rights under the Agency Workers Regulations is asking for trouble with IR35.

Last October | Wed, 19 Oct 2011

HMRC’s 12 IR35 scenarios: a real basis for discussion, or just boxing-in contractors?

Contractors could see HMRC’s IR35 Forum initiative to create 12 IR35 scenarios as a sound basis for discussion, or as further restricting contracting.

Last October | Thu, 13 Oct 2011

The ‘conduct regs’ conundrum: are you really a contractor if you don’t opt out?

Contractors enjoy the protection of the ‘conduct regs’, unless they choose to opt out. But would a real contractor want the rights the regs provide?

Last October | Thu, 06 Oct 2011

Self assessing AWR inclusion might be a dangerous tactic for clients and agencies

Contractors don’t yet know much about AWR, as a ContractorCalculator survey has confirmed. So, is pushing self-assessment of AWR status a wise move?

Last October | Mon, 03 Oct 2011

Threats into opportunities: being forced into contracting can be a positive move

Workers entering the contracting sector unwillingly will often turn the threat to their livelihoods into career opportunities.

Last September | Mon, 26 Sep 2011

Contractors should not be seen as a soft target by an HMRC keen to close the tax gap

Contractors have a part to play in filling the UK’s £35bn tax gap, but the burden should be shared by all taxpayers, including large companies.

Last September | Thu, 22 Sep 2011

Agency Workers Regs: No, Prime Minister. Your publicity stunt is too little, too late

Downing Street’s alleged review of the Agency Workers Regulations is too little, too late. Things are bad enough without this last-minute confusion.

Last September | Thu, 08 Sep 2011