| SMARTER
FREELANCING SEMINARS
PCG is organising a series of information-packed seminars
for freelancers during February and March, to take place
in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Swindon,
Croydon and Southampton. Open to PCG members and non-members
alike, the sessions will be geared towards the needs
of established freelancers, new freelancers and those
who are thinking about freelancing.
Delegates will have the opportunity to hear the latest
news, views and advice on tax and accountancy issues,
and to ask questions. As a bonus, they will also receive
expert advice about anticipated tax changes, after the
Budget in March.
Part of the programme will also focus on how to update
skills to meet market needs, developing "soft skills"
and learning to be more productive and effective at
marketing and networking, adapting to meet changing
market demands and becoming a trusted adviser.
The choice of the first seven seminar locations was
based upon feedback from respondents to a survey commissioned
by PCG, and it is possible that further seminars will
be planned for Edinburgh, Glasgow or Aberdeen, Cambridge
and other locations around the UK.
Full details can be found at www.pcg.org.uk/seminars2004,
with an online booking facility. Numbers will be limited,
so please register via the website as early as possible.
PCG SUPPORTING EARLY DAY MOTION ON IR591
Shadow Paymaster General, Mark Prisk MP, has written
to Ian Durrant, PCG's Director of External Affairs,
requesting support for an early day motion. He wants
all MPs to support his call to ask the Chancellor to
consult small business groups about the measures outline
in paragraph 5.91 of the Pre-Budget Report, being widely
dubbed as "IR591". Details of the proposal
to ensure that small business owners "pay the right
amount of tax" are not yet known.
Welcoming the call to action, Ian Durrant urged PCG
members, freelancers and small business owners to contact
their respective Members of Parliament. "The more
MPs from all parties that sign this early day motion,
the better chance Mark Prisk will have of challenging
Ministers on the subject. PCG believes that the small
business community should be consulted about any proposed
measures, as outlined on our dedicated website,
www.ir591.org.uk."
A former freelancer himself, Mark Prisk has used a parliamentary
device called an early day motion (number 501) to try
to increase the pressure on the Chancellor to rethink.
He is asking MPs to sign up to the following: "This
House notes the Government's plans to reverse its tax
treatment of owner managed businesses; is deeply concerned
that this could result in severe financial hardship
for thousands of family businesses and thus damage enterprise;
asks the Chancellor to explain why his tax incentives
went wrong; and urges him to meet with and consult small
business representatives prior to the Budget."
Freelancers and small business owners wishing to support
the action should encourage their respective MPs to
add their names to the list, if they have not already
done so. You can check whether your MP has already signed
EDM 501 online. This needs to be done before Budget
day on 17 March.
"You can write to your MP at the House of Commons,
Westminster, London SW1A 1AA," said Ian, "or
send a fax through www.faxyourmp.com,
typing your postcode will identify your constituency
MP."
Mark Prisk's communication to Ian Durrant followed
the Conservative Party Small Business Summit on 28 January,
to which both Ian Durrant and David Ramsden, Senior
Policy Adviser, had been invited to participate in setting
policy for small businesses.
PCG'S NEW PROFESSIONAL EXPENSES INSURANCE (PEI)
PCG's new Professional Expenses Insurance (PEI), included
within the membership fee, covers members for professional
fees relating to any tax investigation, including those
on IR35, S660A, PAYE and VAT.
It offers the following additional benefits:
- 50% cover increase from £50,000 on any one
claim to £75,000.
- Normal business records are sufficient to ensure
cover.
- No P35 exclusion.
- Aspect enquiries are specifically included.
- No exclusion for contracts submitted to the Inland
Revenue
- Members who have had a submitted contract "failed"
are also covered, provided that the tax is correctly
paid as within IR35 on that contract or that there
have been significant circumstantial changes that
mean the original Revenue opinion is no longer applicable.
- PEI allows a member to challenge a Revenue contract
opinion, assuming a reasonable argument.
According to claims analysis statistics from Abbey
Tax Protection, insured clients are nearly five times
more likely to escape additional tax than businesses
which do not have the benefit of Professional Expenses
Insurance.
REAL LIFE MEETINGS
Nottingham - Monday 9 February 2004 or Tuesday
10 February 2004, 19:00
Possibly at the Admiral Rodney, Wollaton. See forum
discussion
Contact: JohnLG (John Gardner)
Stevenage, Hertfordshire - Tuesday 10 February 2004,
20:00
Chequers, Bragbury End (not the Chequers on the High
Street, Old Town). See forum
discussion.
Contact: swordfish (Neil Youngman)
Thames Valley - Maidenhead & locale - Wednesday
11 February 2004, 20:00
Finnegan's Wake on Queen Street in Maidenhead. Please
try to arrive by 21:00 to allow the option of moving
on if desired. See forum
discussion.
Contact: bergerc (Charles Berger)
Farnborough and environs - 23 February 2004 19:00
The Prince of Wales, 19:00 moving to the nearby Ancient
Raj at 21:00 for a curry (table booked for 21:30).
See forum
discussion.
Contact: wasADB (Andrew Banks)
London - "Designing your Website" with AICS
- 11 March 2004, 19:00
National Liberal Club, 1 Whitehall Place, London, SW1.
The Association of Independent Computer Specialists
presents "Designing your Website". Guest speakers
- David Penfold and Conrad Taylor of the British Computer
Society Electronic Publishing Specialist Group. For
further information about the AICS please visit www.aics.org.uk.
See forum
discussion.
Contact: ashmele (John Ashmele)
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