Business Services

• Audit
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Specialist Services

• Building profits
• Contractors
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• Estate planning
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Contractors

Allens are now members of the Professional Contractors Group (PCG) – Accredited Accountant Scheme - and are therefore extremely well placed to offer our services to anybody who is currently, or thinking of, working on a contract basis rather than as an employee.

For a number of years now, this area has been an issue of contention as the Government and HM Revenue & Customs have constantly attempted to have many contractors re-classified as employees. There is one very simple reason that they want to do this – they will collect more tax and national insurance from an employee than from a self-employed contractor.

Our philosophy is simple – we are on your side and our number one objective is to help to reduce your tax burden and organise your finances in the most tax efficient manner available.

Two of Allens’ directors, Paul Horrocks and Ben Furness, have completed the PCG training programme and are well placed to advise on all contractor-specific tax and accountancy issues and have a good understanding of how freelance businesses operate.

To ensure that your interests and status as a contractor are protected we can offer you all of the normal accountancy and tax services that are available to all of our clients as well as ensuring that you are well placed to stave off any attempts to have you re-classified as an employee.

The key to doing this is to ensure that you have a watertight ‘Contract for Services’ in place with any clients that you are working for.

Contract for Services Explained:

The importance of a contract as an essential part of a freelancer’s toolkit cannot be overstated. Not only do they outline the wants, needs and expectations of the parties, but they also provide a legal framework within which these will be achieved, and a back up should legal intervention be required. Contracts provide a formal definition of the business relationship between the contractor and agency or direct client.

For freelance contractors who might be viewed by HM Revenue & Customs as “disguised employees” within the IR35 legislation, having sound contracts in place is all the more important.

First and foremost, it is essential to have a contract for services with your business, not a contract of service or employment contract with you personally. This contract should accurately reflect the relationship between parties, and should include the following elements:

• A substitution clause allowing the work to be performed by another person provided by your business; there will usually be terms relating to right of veto, suitable qualifications and so on;
• A clause specifying that there is no "mutuality of obligation" between the parties; in other words, there is no obligation to be offered work and no obligation to accept any work offered; and
• A clause stating that you will not be subject to supervision, direction or control as to the manner in which you render the agreed services; as a professional, you will use your own initiative as to the manner in which the services are delivered.

So, whether you are an existing Allens client or not, if you are considering becoming a contractor, please give Paul or Ben a call on 0161 477 2636 to discuss how we can help and make sure that HM Revenue and Customs do not have cause to come knocking.