Why Clients Default to Inside IR35 (and What This Means for Contractors)
If you’ve ever had a contract assessed as inside IR35 and felt frustrated or powerless, you’re not alone. Many contractors find that roles which should fall outside IR35 are classified inside - sometimes because the client simply doesn’t want [...]
Moving Between Inside and Outside IR35
Since the IR35 reforms in 2021, contracting has changed for good. Many professionals now move between inside and outside IR35 roles depending on the client, the project, or market conditions. If you’ve found yourself switching between the two, you’re [...]
Limited Company vs Inside IR35 – What Actually Changes?
IR35 doesn’t stop you from contracting - it simply changes how you operate. When a role is outside IR35, you trade as an independent business through your Limited Company. When it’s inside IR35, the client or agency treats the [...]
How to Tell if You Are Inside or Outside IR35
Understanding whether you’re inside or outside IR35 isn’t about memorising tax law - it’s about recognising how your working relationship actually looks in practice. HMRC focuses on what you do day to day, not what your contract says on [...]
How to Protect Your IR35 Position Before a Contract Starts
Once a contract has begun, most of the factors that decide IR35 status are already in place. That’s why the best time to protect your position is before you sign. The end client carries the tax liability if an assessment [...]
What Is IR35?
As a contractor, how you are taxed depends on how HMRC views the nature of your engagement - not just how you view it, or even how the agency or client describes it. IR35 is the legislation that governs [...]
Why Should I Use a Specialist Limited Company Contractor Accountant Instead of a General Accountant?
If you're starting out as a limited company contractor, choosing the right accountant is one of the most important decisions you'll make. While a general accountant can handle standard bookkeeping and tax returns, a specialist contractor accountant understands the [...]
What Responsibilities Do You Have as a Limited Company Director?
If you've decided on a limited company as the best business model for you, and want to know more about what that means in terms of your directorial responsibilities, then this article is for you. As a limited company [...]
What Insurance Do I Need as a Limited Company Contractor?
If you've decided to contract through a limited company and are wondering about what insurances you need, then this article is for you. Setting up a limited company as a contractor means taking on the responsibility for protecting your [...]
What Are the Pros and Cons of Contracting Through a Limited Company?
One of the first key decisions every new contractor needs to make is how to structure their business. Whilst there are several ways to operate, such as working through an umbrella company or as a sole trader, many contractors [...]
What Accounting Software Should I Use as a Contractor?
If you've chosen to contract through a limited company, choosing the right accounting software is one of the early decisions you’ll make. Good software helps you stay compliant, track your finances in real time, automate repetitive admin, and collaborate [...]
How Much Does a Contractor Accountant Cost, and What Value Should I Expect?
If you have decided to contract through a Limited Company and wonder how to handle your accounting responsibilities and what it might cost to engage an expert, then this article is for you. Becoming a Limited Company contractor can open [...]
How Does Business Banking Work for Small Businesses and Contractors?
For new limited company owners and contractors, one of the most common questions is: do I need a business bank account? According to government guidance, “there must be a clear division between the company’s finances and those of the [...]
How Do I Get Started as a Contractor Through a Limited Company?
When you get started as a contractor, one of the first decisions you’ll need to make is how to structure your business. Some contractors are best suited to working through an umbrella company or as a sole trader, while [...]
The Spring Forecast 2026
In today’s Spring Forecast, Chancellor Rachel Reeves presented the latest economic and fiscal forecast from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), providing an updated outlook for the UK economy. There were no major new tax or spending announcements, in [...]
The key dates this tax year for Limited Company Directors
As a director of a Limited Company, you're responsible for meeting a range of legal obligations throughout the tax year, such as filing and submitting various forms and returns to HMRC and Companies House. Missing deadlines can potentially lead to [...]
What are the 2026/27 tax year rates and allowances?
Income Tax Tax-free personal allowance - £12,570 Basic rate – 20% - up to £37,700 Higher rate – 40% - from £37,701 to £125,140 Additional rate – 45% - above £125,140 [...]
How to maximise your tax efficiency before tax year end 2026
Allowable expenses Claim all of your allowable expenses Ensure paid invoices have been recorded – chase those you’re still awaiting payment for Keep receipts 6 years after accounting period ISAs Use your ISA allowance £20,000 taxed [...]
What announcements were made in the Autumn Budget 2025?
With so much pre-Budget speculation, we were expecting a long wait for the detail - but events moved faster than anyone anticipated. In an unprecedented slip, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) accidentally published its Economic and Fiscal Outlook [...]
How to protect yourself and your business from HMRC tax scams in the UK
UK tax scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, especially around the Self-Assessment Tax return deadline. Fraudsters often try to impersonate HMRC to trick individuals and business owners into revealing personal or financial information. Whilst HMRC have reported a 12% drop [...]