IT and engineering contractor demand continues growth, confirm job surveys
IT and engineering contractor demand continues to grow, according to two key UK labour market surveys. The KPMG/Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) Report on Jobs has IT and computing first in its demand table, with engineering and construction in second place. April’s Monster Employment Index (MEI) shows online demand for engineers and IT workers in third and fourth places respectively, behind transport, post and logistics in first place and construction and extraction in second place. More…
Financial IT contractor job offers have increased dramatically over past year
Financial IT contractor contract offers have increased by 75% since April 2010, according to the latest Powerchex May Job Offers report. The report also reveals that such job offers were up 19% in April compared to the previous month. According to Powerchex founder and HireRight EMEA managing director Alexandra Kelly, IT contractor prospects have picked up despite the short working month in April: “Compared to last year, the total figures have still grown and there is positive sentiment across most of the [financial] sector.” More…
Contractors concerns will be addressed during IR35 overhaul, says Treasury
Treasury Secretary David Gauke appears keen to reassure contractors he will be sensitive to their concerns as the administration of IR35 is overhauled. In the May issue of PCG’s Freelancing Matters Magazine, Gauke recognises contractors as a “significant and important part of the business community” and says that “HMRC is committed to a complete overhaul of the way IR35 is administered to address [contractors’] concerns.” More…
REC seeks ‘more certainty’ for contractors from IR35 Forum
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), which took part in the first meeting of the new IR35 Forum on 6th May 2011, has committed itself to establish greater certainty for contractors over IR35. REC’s Head of Policy, Gillian Econopouly, says she believes there is genuine support for reforms from the top of government, at ministerial level. More…
Contractors in profession or business excluded from AWR, confirms BIS guidance
Contractors in a ‘profession or business undertaking’ will not be covered by the Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) when they come into force in October 2011. In its final guidance for hirers and agencies, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) said: “... the definition of an agency worker excludes those who are in a ‘profession or business undertaking carried out by the individual’ where the hirer is a client or customer of the individual (ie a genuine business to business relationship).” However, as previously reported on ContractorCalculator, umbrella company contractors remain in scope. More…
Contractor recruiters told to resist contractor client indemnity demands over AWR
Contractor recruiters have been told to “resist attempts to indemnify [clients] against claims for which recruiters have no responsibility”, such as claims by contractors under the Agency Workers Regulations (AWR). Recruiter.co.uk reports that Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) in-house lawyer Lorraine Laryea told delegates at the REC’s AWR Summit that: “There is a significant amount of risk if you are prepared to take responsibility for failings that are not the agency’s responsibility.” Contractor agencies even risk going out of business if worker claims under the AWR are upheld. More…
IT freelancers enjoy treble-digit income growth
IT freelancers have seen their earnings increase by up to 200% in the first quarter of 2011, according to online business marketplace PeoplePerHour (PPH). Web design, app development, ecommerce and search engine optimisation (SEO) are the skills showing the greatest earnings growth potential. PPH’s founder and CEO, Xenios Thrasyvoulou, believes these results demonstrate improving economic conditions: “The IT sector is one of the key engines of growth for the economy and is integral to the UK's prosperity.” More…
Oil and gas contractors could see contracts move abroad due to ‘windfall tax’
Oil and gas contractors’ futures are considerably less certain following the ‘windfall tax’ on North Sea energy firms announced by Chancellor George Osborne in the 2011 Budget. This is according to the 14th Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce Oil and Gas Survey, which also shows that energy firms are eager to invest in new exploration and production, but are now likely to make this investment outside of the UK. The only good news for contractors is that jobs are expected to increase in the short term, based on investment decisions made before the ‘tax raid’. More…
Limited company contractors urged to file online Employer Annual Returns by 19th May
Contractors have been urged by HMRC to file Employer Annual Returns for their contractor limited companies online by 19th May 2011. According to HMRC, almost all contractor limited companies will be required to file P35s and P14s online this year, the only exceptions being those contractors operating in the construction sector with Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) deductions, which must be filed on paper. Failure to file online, or filing late, could lead to fines of up to £3,000. More…
Contractors asked by Ofcom to report higher than expected phone bills
Contractors receiving higher than expected mobile, landline or broadband bills in the last 12 months have been asked to contact communications sector regulator Ofcom. Although there are billing transparency rules already in place, Ofcom is seeking to establish how many consumers receive excessive charges through inadvertent use of premium rate numbers or downloading data abroad. Contractors can submit their experiences to unexpectedlyhighbills@ofcom.org.uk or via Ofcom’s website. More…