Kingston

Kingston UK is proud to be supporting the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) this month by sponsoring an event for its members from across Kent.

The CIPR, which represents freelancers and contractors (as well as other types of workers in the PR industry) working in public relations (PR), will hold the evening in Maidstone on Wednesday 25 February.

The event will be a showcase of some of the county’s hottest PR talent, in the form of winners and finalists from the CIPR’s recent regional awards for the best campaigns and teams.

The PR delegates, a mixture of members and non-members, will have the opportunity to network with PRs from across their region as well as chat to CIPR representatives.

Lee Cahill of Kingston UK said: “Kingston UK provides services for freelancers and contractors from any sector, which includes public relations.

This event will be a great opportunity for delegates to find out about how an umbrella company like ours can take the hassle out of freelancing or contracting by offering a huge selection of employee benefits plus tax and admin management services.”

The event will take place from 6.30pm in the business suite at MuMu Lounge in Maidstone – click here for details.

Freelancers and contractors are being urged to be vigilant when it comes to paying the tax online, since fraudsters set up a false website in the name of Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

A fake link is being emailed to people in ‘reminder messages’ from seemingly plausible email addresses in the hope that they will visit the fraudulent site and reveal personal and credit card details that could lead to identity theft.

The HMRC logo and graphical designs are used too in the emails, which either claim there is a rebate for the recipient to claim or reminding them to file their self-assessment online.

According to Freelance UK, tax officials have said they never email customers to tell them about a rebate or prompt them to complete online forms to submit credit card details in order to claim the rebate.

Self-assessors are being warned to be extra vigilant when completing their tax return this spring.

They may be unaware of any fraud until several weeks later.

In an online security alert, HMRC said it never emails from the addresses used, including ‘info@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk,’ ‘claims@hmrc.direct.gov.uk,’ and ‘admin@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk.’

Story originally published at Freelance UK.com. Click here for more on this story

The Professional Contractors Group (PCG), which represents many contract and freelance workers in the UK, has urged its members to take good advice on IR35, or face the possibility of a large tax bill.

The Group has just published a new edition of its Guide to IR35, the tax legislation that governs whether contractors, freelancers and other small business owners are taxed as “employees” due to the way they work.

“Dragonfly” IR35 Case

The new publication comes at a key time following the Dragonfly case in which one contractor unsuccessfully contested a £99,000 tax bill from HMRC.

Dragonfly Consulting was hit with the massive tax bill after its director was found to have been “within” the IR35 rules during an IT Contract with the Automobile Association (AA). Rather than being viewed as “self employed” for tax purposes, the director was found to be “employed”, despite running his business via a limited company.

Take Sound Advice

MD of the PCG, John Brazier, said: “It’s still entirely possible to work outside IR35, despite the shock of the Dragonfly case earlier this year. What that case showed is that the traditional advice remains sound, but must be followed thoroughly and carefully.”

The new version of the IR35 Guide clarifies issues such as the importance of the “upper” (agency-client) contract matching the “lower” (limited company-agency) contract which the freelancer actually signs, and the need to be able to demonstrate through “real arrangements” letters or other documentation that the reality of what happens tallies with what the contract says.

It also emphasises that the “big three” indicators of whether you might be caught by IR35 or not are: personal service (or “substitution”), direction and control, and mutuality of obligation. You can read more about these indicators in our guide to IR35 and employment status.