YOUR COMMENTS: The government is penalising small consultancies, rather than helping them
I am writing in response to the article on AccountancyAge.com entitled "Small Businesses: Patricia Hewitt speaks out."
I was interested in her statements about what the government is doing to help small businesses. However, she neglected to say that this help is NOT available to the small business if it provides consultancy services for its clients.
Small independent consultants, far from being helped by this government, are being targeted with draconian and punitive tax measures, which are commonly known as IR35.
The effect of these measures, which will be finalised in the Finance Bill, will be to force small consultancies to treat 95% of their turnover as their salaries and related expenses bill, with only 5% allowed for running the company, research and development, growth and profit.
I would urge all your readers who provide consultancy services to read up on this to see if it affects them.
There is an excellent web site www.ir35update.co.uk with a wealth of information about IR35.
Yours
Bob Beattie
Small businesses: Patricia Hewitt speaks out