The HMRC is tightening its fist around the UK's freelancers and contractors with its recent decision to rule that 1,700 Weight Watchers leaders are employees rather than self-employed.
The decision has meant that they no longer receive any of the tax benefits from self-employment. Specialists at accountancy firm crunch.co.uk believe that this is further proof of HMRC's ongoing battle against the UK's 1.4 million self-employed.
Darren Fell, founder of Crunch.co.uk, said: “Going it alone is scary enough but when you feel like you have the might of the HMRC gunning for you then the world can feel a very hostile place indeed. Under the current UK tax system self-employed people are made to jump through so many unnecessary hoops; causing a great deal of distress and costing individuals time and money to comply with for very little gain to tax revenue.
If we continue to punish freelancers and contractors in this way we will stifle one of our most independent thinking, mobile and highly-skilled sectors of the workforce to the detriment of the whole economy.”
