Have your say on how to cut spending
George Osborne has announced that, as part of the government’s Spending Challenge, the public have submitted more than 100,000 ideas on how the coalition should cut spending.
contractors
Don’t ignore tax reforms says the IMA
The Investment Management Association has said that the government must not be detracted from the need to reform the UK taxation system just because spending cuts are being implemented.
Umbrella company contractors need to consider their retirement
95% of people, including contractors, nearing retirement age aren’t ready for the financial implications it will bring, according to MGM Advantage.
HMRC coding errors led to a 148% increase in overpayments
The fiasco surrounding HMRC’s attempt to introduce a new system to cope with PAYE codes earlier this year continues with news that PAYE processing errors resulted in a 15.7% increase in underpayments and a 148% increase in overpayments.
Temporary workload upswing for umbrella company engineers
Since the coalition came into power, umbrella company civil engineers have been enjoying an unexpected upswing in work.
Don’t divulge personal information over the phone!
A fresh warning has been issued about a telephone scam that could be targeting small business owners and umbrella company contractors.
PHP and SEO freelancers are in demand
Most of the UK’s small businesses intend to spend more on IT freelancers and those with PHP and SEO skills will find themselves much in demand.
Public sector pay freeze could cause more harm than good
In June, George Osborne announced a two year public sector freeze on pay for those employees earning in excess of £21,000 but this will have a detrimental effect according to research carried out by the Institute of Payroll Professionals.
The UK’s workforce is working harder!
We’re working harder than ever and struggling to find enough time for leisure activities, according to a survey by Randstad.
Is going it alone the answer to unemployment?
The current employment environment should be encouraging entrepreneurship among Britons according to the REC.
Contract opportunities still available for London 2012
The REC’s Technology sector group recently invited London 2012 Head of Recruitment, Paul Modley, to speak about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead during the countdown to the Olympic Games.
Recruitment for HR professionals is on the up
Robert Walters, a specialist recruitment agency, says that the HR sector is now actively looking for people with human resources and corporate responsibility skills. This should come as positive news for contractors who possess the requisite skill set.
Umbrella company contractors affected by backlog of tax claims?
We all know that HMRC has been instructed to collect as much overdue tax as possible but it might surprise you to know that it also has a significant amount of overpaid tax claims to work through.
Recovery still has a long way to go
The managing economist at the CEBR, Charles Davis, has cautioned umbrella company contractors that whilst the economy in the UK is recovering, the recovery is not yet robust.
CFOs uneasy about economic outlook
Chief financial officers in the UK are feeling less confident about the economy according to Robert Half.
The REC responds positively to Tuesday’s budget
Contractors could be better off as a result of George Osborne’s announcement that the income tax threshold will change. The REC said that temporary agency workers who only work for short periods will be especially delighted with the budget announcement.