Contractor Body Submits Proposals To The Treasury

The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE) has recently submitted a set of proposals to Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, Contractor UK reports.

In response to the Treasury’s calls for input into the chancellor’s statement, the IPSE has submitted five policies – as part of a longer list of proposals – that it urges Osborne to put at the centre of his Autumn Statement, due to be released on 3 December 2014.

The sets of policy proposals both have the combined aim of supporting freelance and contract professionals, and creating a “level playing field for independent workers,” says Simon McVicker, policy head at the IPSE.

One proposal, for example, is that Osborne cuts business rates for work-hubs and co-working spaces, which are becoming increasingly popular with freelancers and contractors.

Another is that the chancellor set up an expert body to look into developing a merger of income tax with national insurance (NI) contributions.

Further suggestions on the longer list of proposals include the appointment of a minister for self-employment, protecting independent workers from late payment, and encouraging women to work for themselves.

The IPSE stated that: “Ahead of the general election next May, the Autumn Statement presents the perfect opportunity for George Osborne to show how serious the Conservative government is about supporting Britain’s 4.6 million self-employed people.”

What’s more, McVicker feels that “a flexible pension scheme [and] a fairer approach to training” would demonstrate this commitment. This would mean offering freelancers a pension scheme and ensuring that training for new skills is tax-deductible.