IR35 Reforms Repealed. What Now for Contractors?

If you’re a contractor, you might be excited at the announcement that IR35 reforms will be rolled back and that the onus of IR35 status determination is no longer with clients from April 2023. The 34square platform will be substantially more useful and valuable to contractors specifically, once this happens. We therefore expect demand to increase substantially. So of course we should put up our subscription price, right? Simple supply and demand. Wrong. We are committed to helping the contractor community, and we’re going to do the opposite in a big way.

You probably should temper the excitement about the reforms rollback with a degree of caution that the risks are therefore back with you. What do you need in order to sleep easy? First, a robust and easy-to-use IR35 status assessment tool that generates you a status determination statement for each of your contracts, which whilst no longer obligatory, would be a glaring omission in any investigation by HMRC. And ideally you’d want to be able to run your assessment as many times as you want, for as many contracts as you want, without paying for each one, right? Second, you probably want to ensure you have a solid outside IR35 status. Still the safest way to do that is if you have an UNBREAKABLE right of substitution. There are those that will tell you right of substitution is a loophole or a sham and that it doesn’t make you any safer. If it isn’t robust and evidenceable, they’d be absolutely right. If it is robust and evidenceable, it isn’t a loophole. It’s the law. And they’d be wrong. Combine membership of 34square and our unique, EVIDENCEABLE substitution capability and intent if needed, with ensuring you have the right stipulated in the contracts. You can also check out our contracts guidance so that you can weed out any gotchas.
 
Why not go and have a play with our guided assessment tool?  https://www.34square.com/contract/ir35-status-assessment . By April 2023 we’ll have tweaked the functionality and content on our platform to align with the rollback of the legislation, but the assessment questionnaire will be unchanged. If you aren’t registered yet, you won’t generate an actual status, but you will generate a described, robust conclusion that indicates it. What’s more, from now until 01 April 2023, you can register for the first year for just £34 (instead of £99), and don’t forget you can use our assessment tool as often as you like. You might ask what’s the point in joining before April next year? Well… firstly, you might want to be able to demonstrate to HMRC, your commitment to substitution capability and intent to the letter of their stipulations, irrespective of the legislation and designation of responsibility. Secondly, if we expand the space as we intend to, we’re committed to keeping the annual renewal subscription fee beyond year one, closer to £34 than the current £70.  Any existing members that renew between now and April 2023 will also be able to do so for £34. So… why not help us help you to help the entire freelance contractor community. We’d love to be able to expand our membership to the point where we can get the ongoing first year subscription beyond April 2023 down from £99 to around £70 and then keep the renewal at £34 instead of the current £70. Not a life changer by any stretch, but we want membership to simply be a total no-brainer for any contractor that operates outside IR35 through their own limited company. Together, we’re all stronger. Take a look at our Joining Page.