PCG
WINS DTI MINISTER'S PRAISE FOR ISO9001 CERTIFICATION
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A PCG delegation visited the
DTI on Thursday to receive congratulations from
the Minister for Small Business, Nigel Griffiths
MP, for achieving ISO9001 certification. PCG is
the first trade association in the UK to attain
this prestigious accreditation, and Nigel Griffiths
gave an enthusiastic welcome to the organisation's
plans to implement a tailored quality scheme for
professional freelance consultancy businesses. |
Chairman Simon Griffiths presented PCG's proposals
to introduce a scheme whereby its members may elect
to participate in a cost-effective IS09001:2000 quality
scheme. It will be launched this summer, and PCG has
been working in close partnership with quality experts
BVQI to develop the scheme, the first of its kind.
"ISO9000 can prove prohibitively complex and expensive
for small businesses," explained PCG director Richard
Robson, "and without it even those consultants
of an exceptionally high calibre are effectively barred
from bidding for public sector work. Our scheme will
be unique, not only in its approach to the market, but
also in that it will contain many interesting but valuable
features, it will be delivered at less than a third
of the cost of any credible alternative, and - because
we have chosen to go with the UKAS standard - its worth
will be uncompromised."
PCG is committed to promoting freelancing as a valid
and valuable way of working. Commenting upon last week's
visit, Simon Griffiths said, "Our IS09001 plan
represents just one of the many initiatives that we
have adopted in our quest to protect and promote the
interests of our freelance members and the wider freelance
community. We believe that ISO9001 certification will
help the brightest and best independent consultants
to compete on a level playing field for public sector
projects, and we are very pleased to have Nigel Griffiths'
support."
SARA S660A RISK ASSESSMENT TOOL AVAILABLE ONLINE
Are you at risk from S660A? Find out today using SARA,
an online "Self-Assessment Risk Analysis"
tool developed by PCG and Accountax Consulting.
You may be at risk from an Inland Revenue challenge
on Section 660A, the "settlements legislation"
if any (or all) of the following apply:
- There is a limited company (or partnership)
- Ownership is shared with someone else (e.g. spouse)
- The freelancer is the sole or main fee-earner
- The other owner receives dividends or profit share
SARA is available to PCG members only at a special
price of just £25 (normal RRP £199), and
can be purchased online.
Section 660A can arguably have more impact on freelancers
than IR35 as it resides with the individual, rather
than the company, and therefore follows you for life.
SARA was first developed some years ago by Accountax
as a telephone questionnaire for clients to determine
their likely exposure to a S660A challenge by the Inland
Revenue. Since then, it has been developed and refined
during extensive use with clients. In light of an increased
number of enquiries and interest around S660A from members,
PCG approached Accountax to collaborate on a project
to bring SARA online and be available to a far greater
number of freelancer small businesses.
There are two versions of SARA to account for the difference
between the cases where shares were gifted from one
partner to another, and the case where both partners
owned shares from the outset. Both versions contain
a series of about 35 questions.
The questionnaire takes around 20 minutes to complete,
and results are available immediately. SARA enables
you to understand and take relevant action:
- To identify whether your circumstances indicate
that the Inland Revenue is likely to challenge and
secondly,
- If the Inland Revenue does challenge, your level
of risk.
After completing the questionnaire your own risk factor
is published on a scale of 1-10, with explanatory text.
See also PCG's newly-published Guide
to S660A.
SMARTER FREELANCING SEMINARS
PCG's Smarter Freelancing seminars were very well received
by delegates at the sessions which took place in Manchester,
Birmingham and Bristol last week. The next three seminar
dates and venues are as follows:
- Tuesday 9 March 2004 Swindon
- Wednesday 10 March 2004 Croydon
- Thursday 11 March 2004 Southampton
The seminars are open to PCG members at a competitive
cost of only £40 plus VAT, and to non-members
for just £65 plus VAT. Furthermore, non-member
delegates who join PCG on the day will receive a £25
refund.
This represents excellent value for money, given the
scope of topics being presented:
- Hearing the latest information on IR35 and S660A,
two sets of taxation rules that can have a significant
impact on freelance incomes.
- Understanding IR591 and the measures that could
come from the forthcoming Budget.
- Learning how to market and sell yourself better.
- Winning profitable new business.
- Developing your skills to meet the changing global
economy.
- Becoming a trusted adviser.
- Gaining a better understanding of key tax and accountancy
issues.
See www.pcg.org.uk/seminars2004
for more details and online booking. Numbers are limited,
so book
your place now!
PCG LINES UP EXPERT BUDGET TEAM
Budget day, on 17 March 2004, is expected to herald
the most important Budget for freelancers since IR35
was announced four years' ago.
PCG has selected a team of specialists including representatives
from Accountax to provide expert tax and political analysis
on the day, and will be providing a definitive view
of the announcements from a freelance small business
owner's perspective.
The team will be on hand to listen to the Budget, analyse
the impact of any announcements likely to affect freelancers,
and disseminate the information and its expert views
via:
- A special newsletter
- Update of PCG and IR591 websites
- Interim news flashes posted to the forums where
appropriate
- Official PCG press notice
- Online debate via the forums between 18:00 and 21:00
Key questions that the team will be addressing include:
- How the Budget might affect three different but
typical freelancer business scenarios
- How the Budget is likely to affect you personally
- What PCG is doing about it
Affiliate members and other interested parties who
would like to send out syndicated copies of the special
newsletter to their clients or members should contact
Mandie Bell, Marketing Support Manager, on 0845 125
98 99 or by email at [email protected], well in
advance.
FOLLOW-UP VISIT TO BRUSSELS
Ian Durrant, PCG's director of external affairs, and
political adviser, David Ramsden visited Brussels again
last week as a follow-up to their earlier meeting, which
had been facilitated by PCG's new partner in Brussels,
"Small Business Europe".
"It is interesting to note," said Ian, "that
the Commissioners in Brussels seem to have a fairly
positive and accurate view of freelancers and their
businesses, correctly categorising them as small-scale
entrepreneurs."
PCG A RUNNER UP AT THE 'ORANGE SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL'
AWARDS
Simon Griffiths and Richard Robson attended the "Orange
Small is Beautiful" award ceremony on Tuesday 2
March 2004 at the Institute of Directors, as PCG was
one of four organisations shortlisted in the "Best
Demonstration of Business Ethics" category.
This award was won by Impact Community Developments,
Bradford, a youth-led organisation providing a holistic
and innovative approach to addressing growing problems
of homelessness and unemployment.
Richard Robson said, "The winners and the other
nominees were genuine social enterprises whose entire
ethos is based on community service, and we felt privileged
to be included in the same shortlist as them at this
high profile awards ceremony."
REAL LIFE MEETINGS
Kent
Suggested real life meeting. Forum
Discussion.
Contact: Fat32Stone (Matt H)
Chester/Manchester
Suggested real life meeting. Forum
Discussion.
Contact: jat (John Thomas)
London - "Designing your Website"
- AICS - Thursday 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)
Stevenage - Tuesday 16 March 2004
At Chequers, Stevenage, on A602 towards Hertford. Forum
Discussion.
Contact: BrianS (Brian Shield)
Disclaimer - caveat emptor - PCG carries very limited
advertising only from known and reputable Affiliates
and complementary organisations. Even so, publication
of any advertisement carries no implicit or explicit
endorsement by PCG.
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