The latest and most comprehensive membership survey conducted by the Professional Contractors Group (PCG) confirms the uplift in the contractor market.
Eighty one per cent of respondents indicated that they were in contract, compared to seventy seven per cent of those who participated in PCG’s June 2003 survey.
Just eleven per cent of respondents procured all of their work through agencies.
Taxation and changes in legislation were the issues that concerned respondents most, followed by the problems associated with finding new business, the economic environment, updating their skills and marketing their businesses. In terms of specific concerns, IR35 and Section 660A topped the league.
Taxation and changes in legislation were the issues that concerned respondents most...
PCG Survey
More than 85 per cent of respondents said that they would turn to accountants first for business advice – way ahead of banks and business advisers. Fellow contractors and PCG were also rated highly as sources of business advice. This is borne out by the fact that through its Affiliate membership scheme, over 50 accounting firms have access to PCG's expert advice, support and information about specific tax, employment status and case law matters.
PCG’s role is clearly appreciated by several hundred survey respondents who took the time to record their approval. “PCG must be congratulated for making the minefield of IR35 about as understandable as is possible”, wrote one member, and “I appreciate the hard work you do on IR35 and S660A,” was the comment from another. A third respondent summed up PCG thus: “Does exactly what a cooperative should do. Excellent people, good information and worth every penny.”
“We are pleased to know that PCG is responding to the concerns identified by its members, and is valued highly both as an information resource and for the tangible results it is achieving for UK's freelancers,” said PCG chairman Simon Juden. “This is a tribute to the enormous amount of hard work carried out – often behind the scenes – by PCG’s directors and specialist teams on behalf of Britain’s freelance community. We believe that freelance consultants have an important role to play and make a valuable contribution to the UK economy, and that they should be taxed fairly and in a transparent and easily administered fashion. ”
Source:PCG