Contractors to benefit from IPSE’s new thinktank and policy conference
Contractors are set to benefit from a new thinktank and policy conference that will provide contractors, contracting’s stakeholders, policymakers and politicians with a more comprehensive insight into the contracting sector. This was among the announcements made by the Association for Independent Professionals and the Self Employed (IPSE) at its annual National Freelancers Day. Meanwhile, IPSE also announced that a policy conference is planned for April 2016, during which the needs of the contractor workforce will be discussed. More...
HMRC’s IR35 discussion document: how contracting’s stakeholders have responded
Contractor organisations and other stakeholders have issued responses to HMRC’s IR35 discussion document, highlighting numerous areas of contention with the proposals. Organisations, including IPSE, the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) and the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT), noted various issues leading to proposed methods that would prove extremely damaging to contractors. Stakeholders also proposed alternative methods to improve IR35 without singling out contractors. An announcement is expected to be made over IR35 when the Government announces its Autumn Statement next week. More...
Denial of T&S tax relief for contractors will damage UK plc
Restrictions on travel and subsistence relief for contractors will have significant repercussions for UK business, as fewer contractors will be willing to travel to assignments, worsening already severe skills shortages. This is according to the Freelancer and Contractor Services Association, which also warns that contractors will be forced to increase their rates to account for travel costs. “The impact needs spelling out and companies need to know what the knock-on effect of the removal of T&S relief will mean for them – they will be footing the bill,” notes CEO Julia Kermode. More...
NHS contractor rate freezes to compound skills shortages and impact upon service
NHS IT and interim management contractor rate caps proposed by the Government have been met with criticism from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC). REC highlights that the proposed rule would drive many contractors out of the market, worsening skills shortages, as well as impacting on already worsening healthcare service levels. “Many agency workers choose to work that way because they value the flexibility,” notes REC Director of Policy Tom Hadley. “They are not going to respond to these changes by seeking full-time roles in the hospitals they currently work in.” More...
Finance contractors set for increased demand
Contractors in the UK’s buoyant finance sector could see their fortunes improve as finance directors brace themselves for a significant skills shortage, Financial Director reports. Research by recruitment company Robert Half UK found that many companies are anticipating a shortfall in suitably skilled candidates once baby boomers retire over the next two to five years, with 74% expressing concern that it will negatively impact their company. “With employers challenged in finding the skills they need to grow their businesses, establishing a succession plan will be critical to succeed in today’s economy,” notes Phil Sheridan, UK managing director of Robert Half. More...
Contractor skills shortages in construction sector slowing projects
Contractor skills shortages are impacting negatively on the progress of many construction projects. This is according to latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, which suggest that severe skills shortages in the sector are becoming a drag on productivity. Overall output in the UK construction sector declined for a third consecutive month in September, marking a 2.2% decrease in production in Q3, compared with Q2. Chair of IPSE’s Construction Policy Advisory Committee David Jackson highlights the importance of contractors in managing dips in output: “The self-employed make sure the industry is well placed to manage these peaks and troughs in demand and their flexibility will be vital when overall production picks up.” More...
Contractors suffer from HMRC plans to further cut customer service levels
Contractors will be amongst those affected by the further strain that HMRC reform plans are going to place on its customer service, reports the Telegraph. This is the warning that has come from the Institute of Chartered Accountant in England and Wales (ICAEW), which claims the taxman’s plans to cut 137 regional offices “could stretch HMRC to breaking point”. HMRC has announced plans to close 137 sites across the UK over the next decade, merging the operation into 13 regional hubs. “Given the challenge of improving service standards and closing the tax gap, we are concerned that this is the wrong time to be reorganising, closing offices and cutting staff,” notes Frank Haskew, head of ICAEW’s tax faculty. More...
Oil and gas contractors should explore decommissioning for new contracts
Contractors in the oil and gas sector are encouraged to update their skills profiles and seek out decommissioning contract opportunities after it was revealed that UK decommissioning activity is growing at a healthy pace. This is according to Oil & Gas UK’s 2015 Decommissioning Insight, which expects expenditure on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) to reach £16.9bn in the next ten years. During this time, 79 platforms will be dismantled and removed, accounting for approximately 17% of installations that will require decommissioning over the next 30 to 40 years. More...
Construction contractors benefit from boom in commercial projects
Construction contractors operating in London are seeing an upturn in opportunities as a result of a recent surge in commercial property development. Office construction in the capital rose by 18% in the six months leading up to 30 September 2015, the Recruiter reports. John Clarkson of Cobalt Recruitment notes that the boom in activity is seeing expat contractors returning from overseas, although the skills shortage in the sector remains significant. As a result, clients have been driven to increase rates and dip into further talent pools outside of the capital. More...
French contractor numbers continue strong trend of growth
Contractor numbers in France continued to rise throughout September, which saw a 10.2% climb in contingent headcount, year-on-year, reports Staffing Industry Analysts. Figures provided by French agency Pole Emploi show that numbers are also up by 1.9% when compared with August 2015. The industrial sector witnessed the highest rise over the past month, with contingent headcount growing by 3.6%, whilst the construction sector saw a 1.3% increase. Over the past year, contractor numbers have increased in all regions, with the central region of Limousin seeing the most significant increase of 21.8%. More...