Please tell me this is a wind up? UK Gov cannot be serious!

[Devil]

Are you still sulking because so many people called you out for your guff on the other thread?

I don't think that I am a sulking type. I may make guffs, probably frequently, but which thread are you talking about?

[Jim B]

IR35 came into existence in 2000 and has been repeatedly tweaked to try and capture more taxation. The latest tweak is for SMB's and really kicked in during April 2021. However, the Treasury have been clamping down on Private Ltd Companies since 2015, especially and from my own experience, in regard to securing contracts through Agencies. There are lots of hoops to jump through and the notion, however slight, that you may be 'Supervised' in any way shape or form during the operation of the contract will nullify your claim to be 'self-employed'. It was this treasury activity that led lots of 'self-employed' European truckers to call it a day and return home. As reported in various trade papers and organisations.

I would say the government's of the day have been trying to clamp down on self employed and cash in hand since I was a lad. The Construction industry is well known for this and I know a number of people who went through their whole working life without paying a penny tax
As said governments have been trying to clamp down on this since I was a kid and never succeeded so really can't believe they just managed to succeed at the time Brexit happened.

[Dominic]

IR35 has been around long before Brexit. Just ask anybody working as an IT contractor. It had a huge impact there when it was rolled out, and if it is now being enforced elsewhere the effects will be similar.