HULL DESIGNER CROWNED UK’S BEST

inspiration for independent professionals and the self-employedIssue 47 – £4.95

ALSO…

NATIONAL FREELANCERS DAYTHE CELEBRATION, THE PANEL, THE EVENTTHE POLITICAL ACTIONSTAYING IN TOUCHWORKING ABROADWORKING THE HOLIDAYSFREELANCE CONFIDENCE INDEX

A wiser man than me (Oscar Wilde, to be specif-ic) once said that the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.

I quote the great man because over the past year it seems that everyone is talking about self- employment. Most of this is positive buzz. Jour-nalists, politicians, business groups and think-tanks have generally been in agreement that more peo-ple in self-employment is positive for the economy. But as with anything that challenges the status quo, there have been dissenting voices.

The doubters, mainly on the left it has to be said, question just how many of us are getting into it because we want to, and more importantly, how many of us are then earning enough to be comfort-able. Their talk of exploitation and vulnerability, not of enterprise and bravery, can become a source of frustration for those of us who spend our days immersed in a vibrant, growing sector brimming with success stories and boundless enthusiasm.

Of course, they are right to highlight the vulnera-bility of those forced into flexible working practic-es by their employers. However, struggling to stem the tide of change simply isn’t the best way to help them. Rather than vain attempts to force big businesses into returning to rigid, inflexible em-ployment practices, our focus should be on enabling and empowering self-employed people of all types. Those among us who are vulnerable will benefit greatly, and so will the millions who have struck out alone and made a success of it.

National Freelancers Day is the perfect way to showcase the millions of good news stories that come from self-employment every year. So thank you for taking part.

ISSUE 47 CONTENTS

A WORD FROM THE EDITOR

3CONTENTS

Jon Norris on National Freelance Day 2014

Freelancing From Where I Stand: Louie Woodall

From the Lobby with Anushka Asthana

14 15 16

19

Working Home and Away with Matt Walters

A Guide to Accelerated Payment Notice

We talk to Simon Birchira from hiredbyme.com

24 25 27

28

The Trouble with Connectivity

The Holidays are (unfortunately) comin’

The Christmas Party:The Expenses Guide

30 32

A Glance at 2015 – Our Predictions

The Freelancer’s Guide to Poland

A look towards the Business Startup Show

35 36 38

LOUIS.CLARK@IPSE.CO.UK @LOUISCLARKIPSE

The Health Tech Opportunity

The Freelance Confidence Index

The Policy Brief with Andy Chamberlain

21 22

Message from the Chairman

15 for 2015 – The Winners Announced

National Freelance Day 2014

04 06 08

CashPlus-A4.indd 1 06/11/2014 13:55

HULL DESIGNER CROWNED UK’S BEST

inspiration for independent professionals and the self-employedIssue 47 – £4.95

ALSO…

NATIONAL FREELANCERS DAYTHE CELEBRATION, THE PANEL, THE EVENTTHE POLITICAL ACTIONSTAYING IN TOUCHWORKING ABROADWORKING THE HOLIDAYSFREELANCE CONFIDENCE INDEX

IPSE Ltd does not necessarily agree with, nor guarantee the accuracy of, statements made by contributors or accept any responsibility for any statements which are expressed in the publication. All rights reserved. This publication (and any part thereof ) may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in print or electronic form, or in any other format, without the prior written permission of IPSE Ltd.

EDITORLouis Clarklouis.clark@ipse.co.uk@LouisClarkIPSE

DEPUTY EDITORBenedict Smithben.smith@ipse.co.uk@BenSmithIPSE

DESIGNRichard Vickersinfo@richardvickers.co.ukwww.richardvickers.co.uk

ADVERTISINGmarketing@ipse.co.uk

PUBLISHED BYIPSE Ltd Heron House, 10 Dean Farrar Street,London SW1H 0DX

IPSE MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES020 8897 9970ipse.co.uk/join

4A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN

A Message from the Chairman

November is a special month in the calendar for us here at IPSE. 19th November marks National Free-lancers Day, a day to recognise and celebrate the quite stunning achievements of the UK’s self-employed. National Freelancers Day this year truly is a nation-al event – in every sense of the word. With IPSE events in Manchester and Edinburgh, thousands are joining in the celebrations all around the UK.

This time of the year also gives us a chance to reflect on the past eleven months. 2014 has been a ground break-ing year. Self-employment in Britain has shattered re-cords, and the army of freelancers, contractors and independent professionals is set to breach the 5-million barrier before long.

The way we approach work has changed dramati-cally too and Britain has become a breeding ground for people of all ages, genders and backgrounds to strike out on their own and become their own boss. These enterprising people have quickly become central to the debate in Parliament and vital to the economy.

Much has changed here at IPSE too – as you well know. From 1st September we became IPSE – The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed. We evolved to keep pace with the changing self-employed landscape. With nearly 22,000 members we’re the largest association of independent professionals in the EU. Without doubt working for yourself is the new way of working, and as IPSE, we now provide services and assistance for anyone working on their own.

We now have a louder, stronger voice to secure a better environment for this vibrant sector of the UK’s labour force. Simply put – as IPSE we’re more influ-ential. We have the support of an army of almost 5 million. We are impossible to ignore.

Earlier this year, we set out on a quest to find 15 of the UK’s best self-employed people set for brilliant things in 2015. With hundreds of entries, picking the 15 finalists was a tremendously difficult task. But all fifteen embody the spirit, and represent the diversity, of Britain’s growing self-employed com-munity. The winner, as you’ll have no doubt noticed, has been announced.

This year also saw the launch of our manifesto in which we outline the measures Government must take to truly unlock the staggering potential of Britain’s inde-pendent professionals. We must make it easier for people to become self-employed, engage with the self-employed and work as self-employed.

Self-employment is the zeitgeist, it’s an agenda-topping subject in Parliament. Our manifesto can play a signif-icant role in taking the self-employed debate forward in Britain’s general election year and further on in the UK’s new economy.

The number of people working for themselves in the UK has grown by over 50% in little under 20 years. But more recently, growth in self-employment has out-stripped growth in permanent employment by three to one. There has been a structural change in the UK’s labour market – self-employment is permanent. It’s here to stay. The future has indeed arrived and being independent no longer has to mean being alone.

Here’s to the next twelve months.

Issue 47 – £4.95

Contract-review.indd 1 10/11/2014 16:35

“SELF-EMPLOYMENT IN BRITAIN HAS SHATTERED RECORDS, AND THE ARMY OF

FREELANCERS, CONTRACTORS AND INDEPENDENT PROFESSIONALS IS SET TO

BREACH THE 5-MILLION BARRIER”

“Sometimes being on your own so much you are left wondering whether you are doing the right thing. However, the internet is a lifesaver for freelance designers like me because I can in-stantly chat to someone from the other side of the world about a design brief.

“As a freelancer, you can do exactly what you want and sometimes it doesn’t even feel like work.”

Rebecca’s clients now include some of the world’s top corporate and household names like Sony, KPMG and BBC. And the name of her fast grow-ing empire? ShipsandPigs.

This had the judges puzzled, but the answer is in Rebecca’s surname. Talk about hamming it up. The judges were unanimous that Rebecca was a worthy winner and someone who will be a stunning ambassador for a sector with so many talented individuals.

Young, old, male, female, experienced and start-ups; everyone wanted to be in with a chance of being crowned the UK’s most inspi-rational and enterprising self-employed per-son and scooping £5,000 cash to put towards their business.

Forget about The X-Factor and Britain’s Got Talent. This stunning competition underlined that the self-employed sector is growing and the future among independent professionals and the self-employed is in the most capable of ca-pable hands.

This was a microcosm of the changing employ-ment landscape throughout the UK. These were the talented, driven and ambitious army set to put the Great into Britain in 2015 and beyond.

It was difficult enough to whittle down all the entries to the final 15, but to pick a winner, that was a mega difficult task for the five judges. But after hours and hours of debate, discussion and deliberation the judges summed up why they had picked the winner with a quote that perhaps reflects the spirit of the competition:

“In the winner we have the epitome of the 21st- century freelancer.”

15 FOR 2015 7

RUNNER-UP

SARAH DAWKINSSarah Dawkins is a respected and growing in-fluential voice within the medical community. Sarah’s company, Dawkins Health Consultan-cy, has produced a guide to encourage nurses to undertake duties working in a theatre envi-ronment with anaesthetists.

This highly skilled nurse is one of the growing breed of medical experts who have left the main-stream to highlight the wide range of transfer-able skills nurses possess, stating that nursing needs more entrepreneurs whose skills can be tapped into by hospitals and the NHS.

When asked about starting out in business, Sarah is a real enthusiast, saying:

“Networking helped boost my self-confidence and belief as well as exchanging experiences with others. All new start-up businesses are in a similar boat. It helps understand how your business ideas and strategies are similar to or differ from others as well as to gain new ideas for moving forwards. The other thing you need is support. Whether it’s from friends, family, or from networking events, everyone needs some support. I have a very supportive family and they have given me advice and guidance, even when I didn’t want it, all of which has been helpful.”

THE WINNERSThere were bakers, tea makers, book traders and translators. Not to mention the artists, nurses, designers, digital dudes and IT wizards. From all over the UK entries flooded in for IPSE’s inspirational new contest 15 for 2015, writes Jim Cassidy.

RUNNER-UP

ANDREW BUTLERAndrew Butler is living the dream. You can find this young specialist cameraman behind the goals at Champions League matches or on court at Wimbledon. Andrew showed his entrepre-neurial spirit while at university, working as a lighting specialist, filming weddings and pro-ducing promotional videos. After a year-long traineeship with IMG, Andrew had the courage, skills and mind-set to launch his own company.

And Andrew is loving life behind the camera saying: “Shooting is my passion, which is reflect-ed in my work. I strive to capture the best imag-es possible and my creative eye helps set my work apart. My training has given me a thorough understanding of the entire TV production pro-cess, helping me appreciate how my footage is going to be used, which allows me to adapt my working methods accordingly. I enjoy offering creative input and am always looking for new approaches that can enhance production values.

“My flair for creating powerful visuals is backed up by solid technical knowledge, which allows me to troubleshoot on location and adapt to any last-minute changes. I pride myself on the con-sistent high quality of my work; lighting is always subtle in keeping with the tone of the piece, audio is clear and shots are well composed.” Now that’s what you call putting freelancing in focus.

“I WAS UNFORTUNATELY MADE REDUNDANT WHEN THE RECESSION

HIT, SO I TOOK A GAMBLE OF SETTING UP ALONE AND MOVING

BACK HOME TO HULL”

Follow Sarah @DAWKINS_SARAH

Follow Andrew @AAJBUTLER

Follow Rebecca @SHIPSANDPIGS

THE WINNER

REBECCA SHIPHAMRebecca’s story is incredible and inspirational. The 32-year-old shows that with skill and strength of character you can go from zero to hero if you believe in yourself, believe in your skills and dream your dream.

When Rebecca was made redundant from a design agency in 2010 she started a journey that took her the 200 miles from London back home to Hull and then on to establish a design company that’s turning heads at trade exhibi-tions throughout the world. Rebecca said:

“I was unfortunately made redundant when the recession hit, so I took a gamble of setting up alone and moving back home to Hull. There’s something about your home city that is magical. It’s hard to explain to anyone who has never lived here, but Hull has a certain pull that stops you ever being able to fully leave.

“Being made redundant gave me that chance to go home and so, rather than returning with my tail between my legs, I came back with a couple of clients from my time in London and started up on my own.

THE JUDGING PANELJULIE STEWART IPSE’s Chairman is a vastly experienced freelancer with 27 years’ experience covering a number of roles across a wide range of sectors. Julie was keen that the winner really reflected IPSE and the growing sector.

SIMON McVICKER Simon is IPSE’s Direc-tor of Policy and External Affairs. Simon is a re-nowned public affairs specialist who is intimately aware of the business and political issues freelancers face and how to unlock doors to engage with the decision makers.

JIM CASSIDY the Managing Director at Prima Communication & Media Ltd and IPSE’s media adviser. Jim, a former national newspaper editor, is a PR authority with expertise in branding and marketing, who has sat on numerous government advisory committees and media commissions. KEVIN McCALLUM Business Development Manager at FreeAgent, the UK’s leading online accountancy software provider, he brings tech-nical expertise to the panel. He is a passionate believer in the benefits of using the cloud for business in general and accounting in particu-lar, and is vastly experienced in providing ac-countancy solutions for small businesses.

HAYLEY CONICK Start-up specialist and digital strategist and Cambridge graduate, Hayley was a founding member of smarta.com, the UK’s leading platform for small business-es and entrepreneurs. She has worked with tech entrepreneur Dan Wagner at internet incubator Bright Station Ventures evaluating ideas for investment. She is a mentor for the Oxygen Accelerator and Country Manager for Elance-odesk

THE PANEL ON THEIR DECISION“The quality of the 15 for 15 entrants was quite phenomenal. These vibrant, talented and enthu-siastic individuals are testament to the breadth of talent across the UK. In Rebecca Shipman, the winner of our 15 for 2015 contest, we have the epitome of the 21st-century freelancer. Re-becca’s imagination in exhibition design has seen her work being acclaimed at exhibitions through-out the world working with corporate giants. Rebecca has impressed all who work with her.

“In the two runners-up we see the diversity of this growth sector. Sarah Dawkins has built a portfolio career in the niche health market place that undoubtedly is growing, but is not tradition-ally associated with freelancing. Andrew Butler is a very recent start-up and went from universi-ty straight into his freelancing career. He is quick-ly building a reputation as a talented cameraman working at the world’s top sporting events.”

How important is it to recognise and cele-brate the growing army of freelancers, con-tractors and self-employed people in the UK by holding NFD?National Freelancers Day has become an impor-tant day in the year of the freelancer. Going it alone can be a demanding and an isolating business. The freelancer is so busy that he or she hasn’t always got time to step outside the immediate profession-al existence and take an objective view of it. NFD is an opportunity to reassess, reassure and reaffirm the role of those who work for themselves.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking about stepping into the world of work alone?Make sure you are a self-starter and aren’t going to crumble without a company infrastructure around you. Make sure you are really very good at what you do: your skills are going to be on the competitive line every day. Make sure you ENJOY what you do. It’s going to be your breakfast, lunch and dinner from now on. If all the above ducks are in a row – take the plunge! You will be taking control of your professional life, beholden to no one but yourself. And that is true freedom.

Who’s your favourite or most inspiration-al self-employed person – and why?Sir David Frost, who sadly died in March of this year, was surely one of the most prolific broad-casters ever to have lived.

He was never afraid of being on the front line – interviewing presidents, prime ministers and

villains (some fitted both categories); he also turned his hand to entertainment from political satire (That Was the Week that Was etc.) to star-gazing (‘Through the Keyhole’).

Throughout it all he was energetic, inventive, self-reliant and always his own man: surely the epitome of the successful freelancer.

What’s the one thing that you believe should be done to help budding entrepreneurs in the UK?The field is open for freelancers to prosper. Which is why there are many thousands setting up each year.

Which key qualities are needed to become a successful business person? By definition, the freelancer is self-reliant. Oth-er than a tax regime that is fair, the freelancer shouldn’t expect anything from the state, just the freedom to operate.

Why do you think the number of people working for themselves has rocketed in recent years?Apart from factors already mentioned, the single most important factor to inspire people to go freelance has to be the power of the internet. The worldwide web has enabled people to advertise and market themselves easily, to com-municate and deliver with speed, to work from home or a single desk space and has obviated the need for ancillary staff. Have computer, have mobile, can do!

SUE LAWLEYHostInvited back to host the National Freelancers Day debate for the sixth year running, Sue knows freelancing inside out. The legendary broadcaster has never been an employee, apart from two years as a cub reporter. Her vast experience and shrewd ability to steer a heated debate make her a key asset for NFD.

We managed to grab a few minutes with Sue to discuss freelancing and self-employment in the UK.

9

How important is it that we recognise and celebrate the growing army of freelancers, contractors and self-employed people in the UK by holding NFD?This is a vitally important event. The number of freelancers and self-employed is on the march and it falls to someone to keep this ever growing army in line. IPSE make the perfect Commander-in-Chief.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking about stepping into the world of work alone?Do it. But keep a sense of humour at all times. Also never, ever, ever let anyone get away with not paying an invoice, even if it’s a very small one. It sets a shocking precedent.

Who’s your favourite or most inspirational self-employed person – and why?My Dad. Because he started a business that still runs today with the money he got after being de-mobbed from the Army after WW2.

What’s the one thing that you believe should be done to help budding entrepreneurs in the UK?Scrap that bloody awful Apprentice show. It’s a circus and encourages young people to be shouted at.

Which key qualities are needed to become a successful business person? Determination. Confidence. Ability to follow through. And a strong bullshit detector.

What’s the best thing about working for yourself ?Enough time for a decent lunch.

Why do you think the number of people working for themselves has rocketed in recent years?The workplace has changed radically. How many factories or shipyards are there? We’re a much more mobile and technological workforce.

Known for his uncompromising style, Nick hosts the breakfast phone-in show on London’s LBC 97.3 radio station. He also has a regular column in the Sunday Express, has appeared on numerous TV programmes and launched sell-out stage shows across many London theatres.

Nick let us in on a few of this views on freelancing and self-employment.

“ Make sure you ENJOY what you do. It’s going to be your breakfast, lunch and dinner from now on”

“Scrap that bloody awful Apprentice show”

Follow Nick @NICKFERRARILBC #NFD2014

NICK FERRARIPanel

11

DECLAN CURRYKeynote Speaker

How important is it to recognise and celebrate the growing army of freelancers, contractors and self-employed people in the UK?Anything that raises the profile of freelancers, contractors and anybody that falls under the self-employed umbrella, is incredibly important. The 5million or so people working for themselves in the UK contribute massively to national wealth, their efforts must be recognised.

National Freelancers Day is indeed a celebration, but perhaps most importantly it brings into the focus the work of representative bodies who fight self-employed people’s corner when it comes to influencing Government policy and cutting red-tape and regulations. It’s so important that this great work is maintained, because it seems all too easy for Politicians to forget about us otherwise.

Award winning business and economics journalist, Declan Curry has regularly broadcasted to a worldwide audience for more than twenty years. An experienced and in-demand host and speaker, he has appeared on panels across the world, chairing committees and heading up panels at business conferences and events.

Declan is also the former presenter of the business and finance reports on Radio 5 Live’s drive programme. Previously, he presented business show On the Money and hosted Show Me the Money, a business debate programme.

Taking time out of his hectic schedule, he took a few minutes to speak with us about NFD and self-employment.

“ Just thirty years ago the general consensus was that economic growth would come from big business. But now it’s been turned completely on its head”

And how important are self-employed people for a healthy, bigger economy?Self-employment has driven the economy on-wards and upwards in recent years and the eco-nomic importance of this growing self-employed population should not be underestimated.

The transformation in Britain’s economy has been just immense too. Just thirty years ago the general consensus was that economic growth would come from big business. But now it’s been turned completely on its head. Self-em-ployment is the future of working, it’s where future growth will be.

What advice would you give to anyone con-sidering going into freelancing?Where to start? I’d say that staying on top of things makes your life a hell of a lot easier. So, I’d advise everyone to get their paperwork done right away. Stay organised. If you’re no good at this there’s plenty of people out there who can give you a hand with it all. Being organised saves you a huge amount of time in the long run, believe me!

But that said, it’s not uncommon to see the tiny desk I work from in West London piled high with paper, a sea of chaos. In fact as I say this to you I’m picking my way through my office, dodging piles of newspapers and files. So to state the obvious, I’m not the best at keeping on top of it all myself!

Your most inspirational self-employed person? It’s got to be Branson. If there’s one person who’s transformed public attitude to enterprise and being your own boss, there’s nobody more influential than Sir Richard Branson. There are many other brilliant entrepreneurs out there of course, but in terms of catching the public imagination, he’s the one who made it respectable to be an entrepreneur. He’s changed the whole perception of an entrepreneur or anyone else who works for themselves. They are no longer seen as wheeler-dealer Del Boy types, they are viewed as an enterprising, hard-working brave brunch.

What’s the one thing that you believe should be done to help nurture freelancing in the UK?I believe there needs to be more recognition for older freelancers, contractors and inde-pendents. They are the ones with all the expe-rience, the know-how and the knowledge, but they’re often overlooked.

Increasingly people are realising they don’t want to retire – or can’t afford to. Either way this growing group needs more recognition and better support. These people aren’t over-the-hill, they are still full of vim and vigour and more often than not come equipped with expertise that can be game-changing.

What do you think makes an excellent self-employed person? I fear you might need to ask a successful free-lancer, rather than someone who lurches from one commission to another on a daily basis, waking up thinking ‘God where am I meant to be today!’

But I believe stamina is important. I’ve certain-ly found I need it anyway. I chair and speak at events all around the UK and the travelling re-ally takes it out of you.

You also need energy and a real belief in yourself and your abilities when others are urging cau-tion. That isn’t to say you ignore every piece of advice you disagree with. Plenty of entrepre-neurs fail because they are so absorbed in the project they are working on. You can’t ignore every negative voice because some of them might well be right. So to have the ability to listen is another important quality any self-employed person needs.

From where you stand, what do you believe the best thing about working for yourself is?I am told it’s the ability to say ‘No’. And yet I find I have so many tempting offers and the fear in the back of my mind that I will die destitute and penniless, means saying ‘No’ is a luxury I don’t think I can afford. You want to satisfy your clients and we don’t like letting people down, turning down work is tremendously difficult.

That said, working for yourself means you can indeed say ‘No’. To have the freedom to make your own decision is a brilliant one and should not be forgotten. You must be able to enjoy the fruits of what you do.

Follow Declan on Twitter @DECLANCURRY #NFD2014

12

APPOINT A MINISTER FOR SELF-EMPLOYMENT

There’s already a Minister for small business, but not for self-employment. This needs to change!

Self-employment has grown by 39% since 2000, and the sector now makes up over 15% of the UK workforce. Across Europe that number is even higher and worldwide, we are tens of millions strong. With more and more people turning to freelancing, the future is well and truly here.

BACK THE RISE IN WOMEN CHOOSING SELF-EMPLOYMENT

Four out of ten independent professionals are women, and the number of mothers working for themselves has shot up by 55% in the last five years. There’s absolutely no reason why self-em-ployed mothers should receive a different amount to employees when caring for a child.

PROTECT SELF-EMPLOYED PEOPLE FROM THE SCOURGE OF LATE PAYMENT

Clients paying late is one of the biggest issues affecting self-employed people and microbusi-nesses. We need a system for small businesses to report clients who fail to pay within a reason-able timescale anonymously.

SUPPORT THE THOUSANDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE THEIR OWN BOSS

Self-employment is still overlooked on the cur-riculum at secondary and sixth-form level. We encourage politicians to recognise the popular-ity of self-employment in education.

GIVE SELF-EMPLOYED PEOPLE AFFORDABLE, FLEXIBLE OFFICE SPACE TO FLOURISH

We’re asking politicians to repurpose empty council properties into new workhubs and sim-plify the planning system to allow unused com-mercial properties to change their use and regenerate the high street.

A TAX SYSTEM FOR THE INNOVATION-DRIVEN ECONOMY

For many years experts have criticised the way the self-employed are dealt with in the tax system, which is set up for employees or employers and not for those who work for themselves. We want a full merger of National Insurance and Income Tax, simplifying the tax system for all.

PLEASE SUPPORT THE CAUSE BY VISITING: WWW.NATIONALFREELANCERSDAY.COM/SUPPORT-THE-CAUSE

#NFD2014

With almost five million people working for themselves in Britain, this year’s National Freelancers Day (NFD) is bigger and more important than ever before.

For the past six years NFD has been celebrating the rise of freelancing and cultivating a nurtur-ing environment for all who choose to work this way.

The UK-wide event, celebrating all that is great about taking control of your own destiny and becoming your own boss, is the perfect occasion to come together and encourage politicians to support our way of working.

We need you to sign up and support our cam-paign asking Government to help unleash the full potential of Britain’s independent profes-sionals by creating a freer, fairer environment for those who make the brave choice to strike out alone.

It’s crucial that politicians make it easy to become self-employed, engage with the self-employed and to work as self-employed – as we’ve outlined in the IPSE manifesto, which is being thrust into the hands of policy makers with next year’s gen-eral election looming.

To ensure that self-employment in the UK tru-ly flourishes, the powers that be in Westminster must address and resolve these issues:

SUPPORT THE CAUSE

WORKING FOR YOURSELF IS QUICKLY BECOMING NORMAL PRACTICE

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020 3176 4006 clubworkspace.co.uk

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SSM-A4Ad.indd 1 10/11/2014 16:37

JON NORRISIPSE Mag regular, Jon Norris explains the importance of celebrating National Freelancers Day.

There are plenty of official days in November. Too many, really. 1st November is World Vegan Day, 6th November is Saxophone Day, 8th No-vember is X-Ray Day, while November 17th hosts both Petroleum Day and Take a Hike Day –which if you ask me are hopelessly at odds with one another.

The best official day in November is, of course, National Freelancers Day on Wednesday 19th November. It’s a day dedicated to celebrating and supporting the self-employed, and certain-ly more important and useful than French Toast Day (28th November, pain perdu fans).

Given the overpopulation of official days laud-ing various cross-sections of society, arbitrary objects, foodstuffs and even feelings, you could make the argument that a day dedicated to freelancers, contractors and other independ-ent professionals is a pointless exercise. In response I’d point to 8th September on my calendar – Pardon Day – and explain politely why you’re incorrect.

Independent professionals are defined by their independence (there’s a day for that on 4th July too, by the way) but a freelance existence can be a lonely one, especially for people working from home. Those who have been living the self-em-ployed life for a while will know that those mo-ments of community are vitally important. The networking drinks on a Friday evening, the oc-casional visits to client offices, the afternoon spent working from a coffee shop – these touch-points of humanity not only give isolated work-ers valuable contact with other humans, they’re often the best opportunities to find new work.

Think of National Freelancers Day as that, but on a grander scale. It’s a warming light for all freelancers to gather around – a celestial glow to illuminate our cause for others to see. We’ll bathe in it; revel in it; raise our hands to the sky and, in one glorious voice, say “Sorry to bother you, can you just check on my last invoice?”

While diversity is the greatest strength of the self-employed movement, it’s also the greatest weakness. A freelance street artist in Cardiff probably has little in common with a City financial consultant aside from the fact they both work independently. To many freelancers and contractors their way of working is as nat-ural as inhaling and exhaling – a piece of legal furniture not in need of recognition. Having a day of celebration is as redundant as having a day to recognise apples (21st October) or bananas (15th April).

But celebrate we must – independent profes-sionals are still treated unfairly by clients and Government alike, and concentrating our efforts on a day of recognition is the single best way to raise awareness. Case in point – did you know so many people enjoyed talking like a pirate before the introduction of Talk Like a Pirate Day (19th September)? National Freelancers Day has appeared in just about every newspaper

worth reading and on national TV, and we even got a letter from David Cameron (in the absence of meaningful legislative reform, it’s nice to at least get something).

No other event provides a wider reach for our cause, and nothing makes independent profes-sionals visible on the media landscape quite like National Freelancers Day. There are loads of ways to offer your support – attend one of the events in London, Manchester, Edinburgh or Brighton, sign IPSE’s petition demanding a bigger voice for the self-employed in Govern-ment, tweet using the #NFD2014 hashtag, or bring it up with your clients and feign outrage that they didn’t get you a present.

A word of advice though – don’t party too hard, or you’ll be too hungover to enjoy Thursday 20th November which is, of course, Peanut Butter Fudge Day.

“17TH NOVEMBER HOSTS BOTH PETROLEUM DAY AND TAKE A

HIKE DAY – WHICH IF YOU ASK ME ARE HOPELESSLY AT ODDS

WITH ONE ANOTHER”

JON NORRIS 14

Follow Jon on Twitter @JN_NORRIS

Alongside my day job as a financial journalist I’d been volunteering with the Young Fabians, a centre-left youth think tank, for two years, de-signing and editing their quarterly magazine. One day, a potential contributor replied saying that she couldn’t help out as she was “totally snowed under with too much writing”. I spied an oppor-tunity. “I’m a journalist with two years’ experi-ence,” I wrote back, “eager to contribute to a think tank/policy shop.”

Two weeks and a couple of emails later, I’m in her office pitching myself as a hack-for-hire, able to lend my writing and graphic design skills to her and her company on a flexible basis. I currently work a nine-to-five but have capacity to spare for the right projects, and knew that freelancing was the direction I wanted to travel in long term. An hour’s discussion later, and I’m hired.

What really struck me during that first meeting was how valued my skills are. It’s easy to under-state your potential worth if you’ve been in a job for a long time surrounded by people with the same talents and passions as you. But step outside that bubble and you realise that these aren’t uni-versally shared. Far from it; they are in demand- if you know where to look.

My story is probably familiar to many freelancers. I got to know a wide variety of people through my voluntary pursuits and amateur interests: in my case graphic design and politics. I had skills ac-quired through a full-time job: journalism. All it took was to take that first step and offer my ser-vices to the right person at the right time – in this case a start-up consultancy. Suddenly, I was being paid for something I’d previously been doing only on a voluntary basis. It felt great.

I was also lucky. London is one of the entrepre-neurial hubs of Europe. More start-ups set up shop here than anywhere on the continent. My client would almost certainly not have prospered elsewhere in the country.

I also doubt I could have been as useful to them as a freelancer. In the capital, I am able to email high-quality PDFs over for proofing at a blink of an eye thanks to the city’s broadband connected-ness, and pop into the office in the early mornings or evenings as required thanks to our excellent public transport network.

An area’s infrastructure is something rarely ap-preciated until it becomes essential to you per-sonally. In London, freelancers are spoilt rotten in terms of workspaces, connectivity and net-working opportunities. For more young people outside the capital to take the plunge into self-em-ployment, it is vital they have access to the same facilities I do as a Londoner.

Part of making the transition to freelancer is having faith in your local infrastructure’s abili-ty to make it work for you. Another part is hav-ing confidence in your own ability. This is one of those ‘soft skills’ so often overlooked by policy makers when it comes to education. It was only after I’d been in full-time work for a stretch that I began to realise the skills I’d ac-crued through years at university and volunteer-ing had a marketable value.

But after you take that first step, everything be-comes easier. The once-scary thought of register-ing as ‘self-employed’ through HMRC falls away – it’s just another online form, after all – and the sense of accomplishment following that first paid invoice spurs you on to make further pitches. It’s easier to tell people you’re for hire once you’ve bagged that first client. I believe encouraging more people to take that first step is key to unleashing

the potential of wannabe freelancers whatever their location or circumstance.

From an outside perspective, going freelance may seem like a lonely enterprise. The perception is that it involves abandoning the companionship of the communal office for the solitariness of the home study (or kitchen table, in my case). A free-lancer in my mould, working around a full-time position, also has to sacrifice evenings and week-ends to meet their deadlines.

However, I was taken aback by the amount of support received from friends and acquaint- ances. I realised then how extensive my personal network is and how it acts not only as a source of work, but as a source of comfort too. A week after my second commission, I’d already been promised help to develop my first pure-play journalism pitch. Others who’d gone down the freelancing route before me were happy to talk about their experiences and offer advice.

I’m still at the very beginning of a long journey and my challenge now is to build a critical mass of contacts and commissions before making the switch to freelancing full time. But now I know I can do it, that journey doesn’t seem so daunting.

IT ALL STARTED WITH AN EMAILJournalist and soon-to-be full time freelancer, Louie Woodall explains how he went about making his move into self-employment.

FROM WHERE I STAND 15

“IT’S EASY TO UNDERSTATE YOUR POTENTIAL WORTH IF

YOU’VE BEEN IN A JOB FOR A LONG TIME SURROUNDED BY

PEOPLE WITH THE SAME TALENTS AND PASSIONS AS YOU”

Follow Louie @LOUIEWOODALL

“THE NEEDS OF THE SELF-EMPLOYED HAVE SIMPLY

NOT BEEN HIGH UP THE WESTMINSTER AGENDA”

David Cameron tried to lay down the parameters surrounding the upcoming general election during his conference speech in Birmingham. Critically, he wanted to pitch it as a contest be-tween just two men; a battle over whether he or Labour leader, Ed Miliband, will be walking through the door of 10 Downing Street next May.The message he wanted to convey, to right-wing voters at least, was that flirting with Nigel Farage could inadvertently deliver them a left-wing Prime Minister. Hence the new Conservative mantra: vote UKIP, get Labour.

Yet it is difficult for voters to take the Prime Minister’s advice and view this election through a Conservative v Labour lens when the two most influential forces are arguably two Westminster outsiders. UKIP may not be about to secure control of Government but where and how its support spikes in the run-up to the national vote will have a big impact on the overall result. Tories are particularly worried because they believe Mr Farage’s success may take votes from left and right, but seats only from them. Yet Labour is

All the parties will also try to mobilise their core groups of voters (although some of those are already lost to the lure of UKIP in England and the SNP in Scotland). But they know that they must also try to reach out to people who may have felt that they have historically been ignored by Westminster.

And I wonder if one of those groups is proving to be the independent professionals and self-employed people that IPSE represent. After all, these are workers who have long failed to experience the protections enjoyed by others. This Government feels it has done a lot – par-ticularly for those starting up companies in the wake of the recession. One Lib Dem adviser to business secretary Vince Cable talks of cutting red tape, helping people to understand employ-ment rights and the 20,000 start-up loans that have now been distributed.

Mr Cable has launched a review looking into the differential legal status of workers in the

FROM THE LOBBY 17

British workforce. But there are no plans from his party or others to take a much-needed step to help self-employed women to get the same protections when starting a family as those in PAYE jobs, that despite the growing numbers of women working as independent profession-als or self-employed. This is certainly an area of massive concern for female friends in that position, with some telling me they feel they need to be employed by a company before falling pregnant.

But on other issues affecting this group, one Tory source tells me this is something her party “will be talking about a lot running into the election”. She says the Government is proud that there is a record number of people – 4.6 million – self-employed. She accuses Labour of pitying the self-employed, saying her party will be more focused on “support and respect”. But what does that mean in practice? She points to the appointment of small business ambassadors to offer help to those coming into self-employment – with more to come.

The party would obviously argue that tax cuts unveiled in Mr Cameron’s conference speech will help these workers. But at the moment I am not hearing of any plans for the simpli-fication that many are demanding – to merge national insurance and income tax.

As for Labour, Mr Miliband’s conference speech was certainly an eye opener. The call to end the 21st-century discrimination facing Britain’s “entrepreneurial, go getting… grow-ing army of our self-employed”, through a lack of access to pensions and mortgages, was probably his most passionate moment.

And that came as a surprise to me because while I have been in the lobby the needs of the self-employed have simply not been high up the Westminster agenda.

So is Labour serious about ensuring “equal rights”? Well, there has been a joint announce-ment by shadow business and welfare secretaries, Chuka Umunna and Rachel Reeves (both big hitters on Labour’s front bench) highlighting how the cost of living squeeze has impacted on the self-employed. There will be more. After all, Mr

Miliband simply wouldn’t have included such a strongly worded section in his final pre-election conference speech, without plans well in train. One source points out that Mr Umunna and Ms Reeves chose a London business ‘hub’, offering work space and facilities to the self-employed, to make their recent announcement. That could indicate good news given IPSE’s focus on these workspaces. But the devil will be in the detail – and we simply don’t have that yet.

Clearly, as the election approaches, the impact of the newest political player – UKIP – will tempt parties to focus on the raw, political issues of immigration and Europe. On the second point, a drive for EU reform will be the centre-piece.

With EU leaders unwilling to bend far on freedom of movement, they might be ever more prepared to give away concessions when it comes to red tape.

That could mean good news for independent professionals and the self-employed – but it might be a long time coming.

suffering from an insurgency too – north of the border. The sharp rise in SNP support after the nationalists missed out in the Scottish referen-dum, could cost Mr Miliband a significant num-ber of seats.

In a world of coalition politics, voters are even more likely to turn to smaller parties who they know can influence policy even if they are not the largest party. That is why the Tories are desperate to win the Rochester and Strood by-election triggered by the second defection to UKIP. They fear the ripple effect of defections and UKIP support that might result if they lose. That is why the constituency is being flooded with Conservatives ministers and MPs under orders to turn up.

Still, it will be hard. The upswing in support for UKIP is being driven by fear of immigration, an increasingly sceptical view of the EU but also a dislike of Westminster politics. And the SNP is also riding on a political wave created in part by distrust of Westminster. The ‘No’ vote in Scotland was secured in part because of peoples’ fears. 1.6 million voted ‘Yes’, but many more would have done so if they thought it was a risk-free option.

Over the next few months we will see the three biggest parties in Parliament try to respond to this growing anti-politics trend.

FROM THE LOBBYAnushka Asthana, Sky News political correspondent

takes a look at the political climate as the pressure builds before next year’s general election.

Follow Anushka @SKYANUSHKA

“THEY HAVE AWAKENED THE SLUMBERING GRIEVANCE OF PERCEIVED ENGLISH

UNFAIRNESS, ALL FOR THE SHORT-TERM GAIN OF GETTING THROUGH THE REFERENDUM”

THE TENSION IN WESTMINSTER IS ON THE RISE WITH THE GENERAL ELECTION SET FOR MAY 7

“THESE WORKERS HAVE LONG FAILED TO EXPERIENCE

THE PROTECTION ENJOYED BY OTHERS”

Now is the time to be getting into health technol-ogy. The industry is on the cusp of exploding thanks to the interest in self-monitoring our daily lives using wearable devices. From Nike Fuel Bands and the Apple iWatch, to a vast num-ber of mobile applications like My Fitness Pal, people are becoming more statistically aware of their nutrition intake and exercise levels.

And Bruce Hellman CEO of the health tech startup uMotif believes digital technology can take the strain away from our creaking Nation-al Health Service.

“There are 15 million people in UK with a long-term health condition, and they consume 70% of healthcare budgets,” explains Bruce.

And with an aging population and the rise of lifestyle related diseases like obesity, the pressure on the NHS is ever increasing.

“There has to be a shift where people do more for themselves,” he says.

As the market for health tech continues to grow at a lightning pace there will be more opportuni-ties for new start-ups, as well as freelancers to work for those companies. But Bruce says just knowing how to code is not enough and freelanc-ers will have to think from a clinical point of view, not just digital.

His company uMotif provides an application for health self-management which helps people to take better control of their conditions, such as Parkinsons. The software as a service platform can provide information and remind patients to take medication, while patient data helps doctors improve their care.

“It’s self-knowledge through numbers,” he says. “In healthcare the more data you have the better the decisions, and that’s also bril-liant for researchers.”

The company sells its software to healthcare providers which can then be used by doctors. Over the next six months, Bruce says he expects to be providing the software to more clinicians and patients in more countries, with plans to expand further into the UK, Australia and the US.

While he considers himself more of a start-up and entrepreneur than a freelancer, there are certainly similarities when it comes to flexibility and working for yourself.

He started uMotif in 2012 with his business part-ner Ben who he met at his son’s nursery. After previously working in Serco’s consultancy divi-sion, he decided he wanted to do his own thing rather than work for a large corporate.

“There was nothing holding me to a big company, and I didn’t get to do very many exciting things,” explains Bruce. “You’re a tiny cog in a big wheel and you don’t have an impact on anything.”

He says that working for yourself is a different level of pressure, “If you don’t turn up and do great work every day, then it all falls over.”

After watching the increase in digital start-ups in the UK and hearing how people had struck out on their own, Bruce realised he had enough ex-perience and knowledge to do it himself.

After dabbling in home energy monitors, a re-al-time fantasy sports game and flight simulators for events and parties, Bruce finally struck gold with uMotif.

“It was quite liberating, exciting and enjoyable, and a lot more fulfilling that just working for a big company,” he says. “We were masters of our own destiny to our own extent; building something brand new and incredibly exciting, while working in an environment we wanted.”

Being in a sector of digital which is on the verge of thriving, Hellman says there’s always a need for more high quality freelance developers which can bridge the gap between technology and clin-ical. But developers need to be aware of the clin-ical health market.

“It is an area which will grow and a lot of people will get into, but you can’t just produce something in a week which will scale and take off,” Hellman says, explaining that there are higher barriers to entry and health tech development is very differ-ent from coding a photo application.

“There are regulations you need to be aware of and clinicians require evidence,” he says advising freelancers to learn a bit about clinical context and expertise.

He says if developers really understand how the end product will impact clinical care that is a huge advantage to companies like uMotif.

THE HEALTH TECH OPPORTUNITYCecilia Bond turns her attention to healthcare technology, an industry where start-ups are beginning to make their mark.

THE HEALTH TECH OPPORTUNITY 19

To keep up with Bruce and uMotif follow them here:

@UMOTIF

“THERE WAS NOTHING HOLDING ME TO A BIG COMPANY, AND I DIDN’T GET TO DO VERY MANY EXCITING THINGS,” EXPLAINS

BRUCE. “YOU’RE A TINY COG IN A BIG WHEEL AND YOU DON’T

HAVE AN IMPACT ON ANYTHING”

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Overall, and rather interestingly, freelancers are more confident about the performance of their own business than the wider economy. This is really saying something, given the UK economy itself has seen strong and con-tinuous growth throughout Q3, and sits 2.7% larger than its pre-crisis peak.

Freelancers’ daily earnings are beginning to show early signs of recovery, suggesting that people working this way are once again bucking the UK trend for wage stag-nation. Our survey reveals an increase in freelancers’ day rates, from £490 in Q2 to £507 in Q3 of this year. Granted, modest growth at best, but positive nonetheless.

Freelancers are cautiously optimistic about future earnings. Looking forward, 28.7% of those questioned expect their rates to continue to rise, compared to 13% who anticipate a decrease in the next twelve months.

The number of contracts taken on by independent professionals in the last three months has grown with momentum. Those surveyed reported a rise from 29.8% in Q2 to 35.9% in Q3 of this year. Looking ahead to next year the outlook is almost unchanged, with 44% expect-ing the number of contracts to rise, similar to the 45.3% cited in previous quarter.

Feedback on revenue has been indifferent, with an equal number of freelancers and independent professionals revealing their revenue increased as had decreased (18% in each case). 64% reported no change in revenue, but more positively, the general expectation is that there will be an increase over the next year.

Reassuringly, the vast majority of freelancers and inde-pendent professionals asked are currently in contract – in other words working at capacity. As many as 81% of those surveyed were in contract, the same proportion in Q2. 81.2% of those asked spent less than four weeks between contractors, compared to just 12.5% who were out of contract for 10 weeks or more, which is again encouraging news.

Business costs however are on the up, a pattern widely tipped to continue. There are roughly six and a half independent professionals (30.1%) whose costs have increased in the past three months for every iPro (4.6%), who reported no change. Worryingly most of those surveyed expected cost pressures to worsen over the next 12 months, with a ratio of nearly 16 to 1 (37.4% compared to 2.4%) anticipating further cost increases versus those expecting them to fall.

FREELANCE CONFIDENCE INDEX 21

FREELANCE CONFIDENCE INDEX

Follow IPSE’s Senior Economic Policy Adviser

@MEAGANIPSE

How confident are you about the performance of the economy over the next 12 months?

51.4% – More confident 21.3% – Less confident 27.3% – About the same

How confident are you about the performance of your business over the next 3 months?

32.8% – More confident 14.5% – Less confident 52.7% – About the same

Did your daily rate increase, decrease or stay the same over the past 3 months?

13.6% – Increased 10.1% – Decreased 76.3% – Stayed the same

Do you expect the availability of contracts to increase, decrease or stay the same over the next 12 months?

44% – More confident 13% – Less confident 43% – About the same

Do you expect your business revenue to increase, decrease or stay the same over the next 12 months?

18% – More confident 18% – Less confident 64% – About the same

FCI = 12.5Freelance Confidence Index Score (from -100 to +100)

Used a contractor loan scheme? Contact us for help with HMRC’s new settlement opportunity to bring your tax affairs up-to-date on the best possible terms.

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15-ad.indd 1 10/11/2014 16:39

Earlier this year the Land Registry was given a massive fine by HM Treasury for breaching the ‘off-payroll’ rules. As a result they’ve taken a zero tolerance ap-proach to the assurance process, putting at risk their ability to attract talented independent professionals. Introduced by Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the Rt Hon Danny Alexander MP, the rules require all senior, board level staff to be ‘on-payroll’ and taxed as em-ployees. In this instance the Land Registry’s Finance Director was found to be working through an interme-diary which triggered the huge fine.

IPSE supports the Government’s view on these senior, board level figures in public sector bodies. These staff are part and parcel of the organisation and should be on the payroll. The trouble is the ‘off-payroll’ rules extend to more or less all ‘off-payroll’ workers, includ-ing specialists brought in on a contingent basis to supply expertise on specific projects.

These independent professionals are not senior with-in the organisations they supply services to and they are most certainly not part and parcel of them. They are not employees and they do not enjoy any of the trappings that employment brings such as holiday pay, sick pay, pensions and job security.

The ‘off-payroll’ rules place a requirement on such workers to provide assurances around their tax obli-gations. This has been a torturous process for many Departments but we hope it will get better with the recently announced scrapping of the Business Entity Tests. At the Land Registry, though, it’s set to get worse. In a knee-jerk reaction to the huge fine imposed on it, the body is now insisting that all ‘off-payroll’ workers operate employment taxes on the whole of the fee they receive. This means contractors have to pay employee’s and employer’s National Insurance along with PAYE. It’s punitive and it makes no sense at all for independ-ent businesses.

If public sector bodies want employment taxes to be paid on their engagements, there’s a simple mecha-nism they can use – employ them. If however they want the flexibility of engaging specialists on a tem-porary basis, then the relationship is ‘business to business’. It’s one, albeit very small, business supply-ing services to another. This is not a case of tax avoid-ance – each business is responsible for their own tax. There is no employment relationship, there are no employment rights and there are no employment taxes – because it is not employment and this is set out very clearly in the contract.

Public sector bodies need independent professionals. They are vital to the delivery of essential public ser-vices. By imposing these draconian terms, the Land Registry is jeopardising their access to a valuable resource. At the same time, the UK’s smallest busi-nesses are being denied contracts that could help them to survive. And all because someone at the very top of the organisation broke the rules for their own personal gain.

Oh, and in case you weren’t aware, the Land Registry’s CEO is someone we’ve had cause to write about before here at IPSE. It’s Ed Lester. Now where have I heard that name before?

THE POLICY BRIEF: PUBLIC SECTOR BODY MUST STOP SHUNNING CONTRACTORS IPSE’s Senior Public Affairs Manager, Andy Chamberlain explains a tricky situation for contractors which is currently developing at the Land Registry Office.

THE POLICY BRIEF 22

Follow Andy at @ANDYIPSE

“ Oh, and in case you weren’t aware, the Land Registry’s CEO is someone we’ve had cause to write about before here at IPSE. It’s Ed Lester”

25ACCELERATED PAYMENT NOTICE

A BIT ABOUT: ACCELERATED PAYMENT NOTICEDominic Arnold, of Moore Stephens LLP, comments on the far-reaching implications of HMRC’s new powers and who they are likely to affect.

Follow Moore Stephens at @MOORESTEPHENS

Moore Stephens LLP is registered to carry out audit work in the UK and Ireland by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Introduced in the Finance Bill 2014, an accelerated payment notice (APN) forces the taxpayer to make payment to HMRC of disputed tax in avoidance cases.

WHY WERE THEY INTRODUCED?APNs were introduced to counteract the perceived cash flow advantage for taxpayers who choose to hold onto disputed tax whilst cases are resolved, which could often take many years. The APN regime is expected to give HMRC a major boost in their efforts to close down what they consider to be the most abusive and aggres-sive tax avoidance schemes.

WHO DOES THIS APPLY TO?An APN can be issued in circumstances where a tax enquiry is in progress or where an appeal has been made against an HMRC assessment. The prerequisite to an APN is either the issuing of a Follower Notice, a scheme reference number under the Disclosure of Tax Avoidance Schemes (DOTAS) rules or where a General Anti-Abuse Rule (GAAR) counteraction notice applies.

SHOULD YOU BE CONCERNED?There is a common misconception that HMRC are only targeting celebrities and users of particular ar-rangements, such as film partnerships. However, if you or your company has used tax advantage schemes then you need to be aware that, depending on the circum-stances, you could be asked to pay tax under dispute within 90 days of being issued with an APN.

As far as companies are concerned, where tax has been withheld and funds have subsequently been distribut-ed to directors/shareholders, it is possible that HMRC will seek to treat any distribution as an illegal dividend and recipients could be forced to repay the funds to the company. This will worry a lot of individuals who have participated in such schemes who will be con-cerned that their personal assets are at risk.

One of the most controversial features of an APN is the absence of a right to appeal against HMRC’s deci-sion. The only option open to you is to make representa-tion to HMRC against either the validity of the notice or the amount specified within 90 days of being issued with an APN. Whether those representations have any impact is solely at the discretion of HMRC.

If a representation is made then the amount speci-fied in the notice becomes payable on the later date of the original 90-day period or 30 days after HMRC have made their decision. Failure to pay the tax due by the end of the payment period will result in a penalty of 5% of the amount unpaid. A further 5% penalty will be levied five months following the first penalty and then a further 5% penalty six months later if the tax remains unpaid. Clearly, ignoring an APN is not an option.

Ultimately, APNs could lead to personal bankruptcies and business failures but there might be an olive branch in the form of an opportunity to secure a Time to Pay (TTP) arrangement, allowing the tax to be paid over a fixed period, although additional interest will be payable.

YOU’VE RECEIVED AN APN, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?It is important that any documentation relating to the scheme is kept or where this no longer exists, attempts should be made to obtain duplicates. This will help determine whether the tax demanded under the APN is correct.

Should you or your company receive an APN, we advise seeking professional advice sooner rather than later.

For taxpayers who have not yet received an APN but are concerned they may be caught by the new regime, careful thought should be given to existing HMRC settlement opportunities that may provide a less costly alternative.

For more information on understanding the new meas-ures or if you feel you or your company may be at risk from the new measures, please contact us.

“ FOR TAXPAYERS WHO HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED AN APN BUT ARE CONCERNED THEY MAY BE CAUGHT BY THE NEW REGIME, CAREFUL THOUGHT SHOULD BE GIVEN TO EXISTING HMRC SETTLEMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY PROVIDE A LESS COSTLY ALTERNATIVE”

Tax planning is an essential part of working as an independent contractor, be that in the UK or abroad. And planning can range anything from the selection of payment vehicle used within a contract to the correct filing of an expense receipt.

If you don’t manage to assess and take advantage of tax planning opportunities throughout a con-tract, the chances are you’re going to end up paying more taxes abroad and back home than you actually need to.

According to a survey conducted by Procorre “77% of UK contractors would like to work abroad”. The main attractions were apparent-ly the higher take home pay, the better work life balance and the experience of working and living abroad.

And overseas contracts are indeed lucrative. They are, by and large, paid better than UK based con-tracts. But to take home as much as possible from working abroad, it’s important to understand how to work compliantly with tax planning. Working outside of your home location as a contract work-er almost always results in the need to declare income in two countries. Firstly where the income is being generated (where the work is being phys-ically done) and then secondly where the worker is considered tax resident.

The tax declaration in the work location is typ-ically the first opportunity to take advantage of any tax planning relating to income generated through work. The most common unilateral tax planning options are:

PENSION CONTRIBUTIONS / SALARY SACRIFICEThis is the most publicly known tax planning option mainly due to it being available to people in full time employment and contract workers. In almost all European Union member states it’s possible for a worker to sacrifice a proportion of their monthly or annual income into a pension fund granting them a larger tax free allowance or reducing the overall salary they declare.

Pension schemes come in a variety of forms, most common are either ‘Employer Managed’ or ‘Individual Private’ schemes. Each country has different rules on the amounts that can be put into a pension scheme and the tax advantage this can offer. Before contributing to a scheme, either a worker or employer should seek confir-mation from the local tax authorities that the scheme selected falls within the guidelines. Paying into a scheme not endorsed or approved by the tax authorities could result in failure to achieve the expected tax saving.

PERSONAL ALLOWANCESThese are locally awarded allowances typically dependent on the personal circumstances of the worker and their family. Tax planning with these comes in working out which system offers the most advantageous benefit, for example: a con-tractor working in Switzerland who is married and has a child can decide to receive child allow-ance in one location only, regardless of where the child is located.

EXPATRIATE TAX REGIMES Local benefits for non-resident workers are dependent on location, fixed rates and struc-tured tax deductions. Several countries offer fairly advantageous tax regimes for workers relocating or being sent to work in a new coun-try; the Netherlands offers a 30% tax allow-ance for skilled inbound expatriate workers which makes working there attractive in terms of retention. A similar scheme applies in Norway although slightly lower at 10% and lasting only two years compared to the 8 years in the Netherlands.

Making sure you’re on top of all of this at the beginning of a contract is essential, because missing out can result in non-taxable expenses.

Contractors working from outside their home location usually incur non-taxable expenses in relation to secondary accommodation and trav-el costs to and from their home location. These costs can be deducted on the tax declaration where the work is being done and not in home location and can contribute to a healthy tax reduction over the course of a contract.

WORKING, HOME AND AWAY 24

WORKING, HOME AND AWAYWorking on overseas contracts is a glamorous thought for any contractor. Fortunately for us, Matt Walters of Capital Tax Consulting was on hand to explain all you need to know when it comes to overseas taxation.

“WORKING OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOME LOCATION

AS A CONTRACT WORKER ALMOST ALWAYS RESULTS IN

THE NEED TO DECLARE INCOME IN TWO COUNTRIES”

For more information or to get in touch with Matt visit: WWW.CAPITALTAXCONSULTING.COM or follow Capital

@CAPITAL_CONSULT

“THE NETHERLANDS OFFERS A 30% TAX ALLOWANCE FOR

SKILLED INBOUND EXPATRIATE WORKERS WHICH MAKES

WORKING THERE ATTRACTIVE IN TERMS OF RETENTION”

“

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85% of Hiring Managers that shortlist you for a contract will then check you out on LinkedInLinkedIn is now an essential channel for winning work; it has become one huge database for recruiters and organisations to search for talent - the bottom line is that all serious Contractors need an excellent LinkedIn profile.

The difference between a home-made CV and a professionally authored oneA professionally written CV is a business case that explains why someone should engage your services opposed to a simple list of tasks. Our CVs are based on extensive research - not only on what recruiters / hiring managers respond to, but also around the hot skills in your market. It’s all about using marketing principles and the psychology of how people read documents. We consider ourselves to be masters of the science behind a successful Contractor CV.

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27HIRED BY ME

HIRED BY METhe contractor market in the UK is sitting pretty right about now. At last count there were around 1.6million contractors in Britain, and vacancy reached a 16-year high in August of this year.

Keep up-to-date with Simon @HIREDBYME

HIREDBYME.COM

With contract availability on the up, it’s become in-creasingly important that the vibrant UK contracting community are equipped with reliable, not to mention detailed referrals.

But in a business world where every move is scrutinised and legitimacy questioned, how can a client trust that a screening is reliable?

Step forward HiredByMe, the employment screen-ing company with a difference. Simon Birchira, the company’s co-founder spoke exclusively with IPSE Magazine to tell us about HiredByMe’s vision, which has the potential to revolutionise the contractor screening process…

SO, HIREDBYME, GET US UP TO SPEED IF YOU WOULD PLEASE SIMON…Well I’ll start with a little bit about us, the founders – Dave Mason, Nick Buller and myself. We were working in Financial Services and had a lot of experience of hiring contractors. However, we found the process as it works today frustrating – it was hard to pick the right person for our roles using the traditional methods. At the same time we knew of many top quality contractors who had trouble standing out from the crowd. We knew that there had to be a better way. We realised that we’d had great results when we’d been able to get a personal reference on potential contrac-tors, and we used that insight to come up with the idea for HiredByMe: making that kind of trusted, honest feedback systematic. AND HOW DOES IT WORK?As a contractor, you simply log in using your LinkedIn profile. We bring in your employment history, and shred it into each individual role. You then pick the specific skills you used in that role and you can ask anyone in your first degree LinkedIn connections to give a personal assessment of your performance in that role (preferably your direct client).

Your contact will give your assessment (which takes a matter of minutes) before the assessment comes back to you. If you’re happy with it, you publish it for others to see. Importantly you are always in control of the whole process and all of the data. WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT FROM ALL THE REST?We believe the best guide to future performance is past performance. All clients really want to hear about is actual, in-work performance. The biggest challenge to getting this kind of feedback today is that people are worried that if they give their honest view, they’re risking their own reputation. Our key invention is a legal environment which protects assessment givers, and allows them to express their honest view.

It’s this blend of honest, direct assessment of both strengths and development points which is unique to us, and so valuable for everyone in the market. WHY ARE REFERRALS SO FUNDAMENTALLY IMPORTANT TO CONTRACTORS TODAY?Hiring contractors is often a ‘one and done’ process: CV, one interview, then a decision. But because CVs are highly polished and many people are good at interviews it can be hard to stand out from the crowd and showcase your true achievements. Having an honest, comprehensive set of feedback from a trusted source positions contractors really clearly for the client, helps them stand out from the crowd, and enables them to ask for a premium rate where they have premium skills. FINALLY, CAN ANY KIND OF CONTRACTOR, REGARD-LESS OF THEIR LINE OF WORK, USE YOUR SERVICES?In short, yes – absolutely. We welcome all skilled pro-fessional staff. We’re not limited to any one vertical or business area. For example, although we have about 1800 skills on our database right now we’ve built the site so you can easily add new ones on the fly.

“ IT’S THIS BLEND OF HONEST, DIRECT ASSESSMENT OF BOTH STRENGTHS AND DEVELOPMENT POINTS WHICH IS UNIQUE TO US, AND SO VALUABLE FOR EVERYONE IN THE MARKET”

I have just checked into a hotel room some-where off the M1. It’s late and I would love to sleep. But I’ve got 35 urgent emails to reply to and no matter how much I jab at my computer I can’t persuade it to connect to the hotel WiFi. I don’t really fancy padding back down to re-ception in my PJs to see if the connection works there, though. Which means, I realise with a deep sigh, that I’m going to have to reply to those 35 emails on my creaky old Blackberry with its teeny tiny keys.

What’s more, my Blackberry battery is almost dead but there aren’t any plug sockets near the bed, and the only one I can find is behind the television. So I’m having to stand over there instead of being curled up under the duvet. The lack of bedside plug socket is particularly infu-riating as it means I won’t be able to put the phone next to me during the night. Which means that when the alarm on it goes off in the morning, I will have to leap out of bed and half way across the room to stop it, instead of stretching out an arm and pressing the snooze button.

The next day I’m trying to make an important call to a client while on a train. Which I know is a stupid idea, but I also know that if I don’t do it now they will have left the office by the time I get to my destination and will be won-dering why I never responded to their message. I’ve just about managed to say hello when the train goes into a tunnel. When we finally emerge my phone spends many minutes searching for a network, and when I am eventually able to call back, the receptionist tells me the client

THE TROUBLE WITH CONNECTIVITYFor freelancers working on the move, staying connected is a difficult task, as Rachel Bridge explains.

THE TROUBLE WITH CONNECTIVITY 29

tried calling me back but gave up and has now left for the day. And will be out of the office for the rest of the week.

Then again, at least I’m actually on a train. I usually end up standing on a windswept plat-form watching lots of trains arrive and leave that I can’t actually get on because for some reason my ticket says I can only get Virgin trains and not East Midland ones. Or vice versa. I’m the person perched on those silly seats trying to type into a laptop balanced on my knees.

Welcome to the wonderful world of trying to work as a freelance while on the move, a high- octane adventure which almost never ends well. While being self-employed is mostly brilliant, being self-employed while travelling – to meet-ings, conferences, trade shows and so on – is mostly not, because it’s all such hard work. While people in regular jobs have a whole support team back in the office to field their calls and respond to queries while they are travelling, we self- employed folk don’t. We just have to carry on as best we can. If that means writing a 2,000-word report while designing a logo while updating a blog while taking calls from clients, all while making a multiple-train journey cross country, then so be it.

My freelance friend Jane says: “I’m always hop-ing not to have to work while travelling but something always pops up at the last moment to wreck my plans. I invariably end up working in my hotel room at midnight, having eaten all the free biscuits.”

In my experience being a freelance while on the move basically means carrying everything with you all the time – laptop, cable, tablet, charger, stuff, more stuff. On every trip I always forget something, usually my reading glasses. I feel like a cross between a snail carrying my house with me and a backpacker on a gap year.

It also means putting yourself at the mercy of technology – that may or may not decide to co-operate. I have lost count of the times I have walked round a hotel carpark waving my phone in the air, trying in vain to find a signal. Or racing around a station trying to find a WiFi connection, or somewhere to plug in my laptop before it shuts itself down.

As my freelance friend Steven puts it: “I love being self-employed, and I actually quite like travelling – I just really don’t enjoy having to do both at the same time.”

There are some brilliant solutions to all this, of course. Unfortunately none of them have actually been invented yet. Jetpacks, telepor-tation and being able to send a clone of yourself to a conference instead of the real thing would solve the problem instantly. So would phones and laptops that run on magic instead of elec-tricity. Our great-grandchildren are going to have it so easy.

In the meantime though there are still some simple things that can be done to make the whole work/travel equation easier. So alongside IPSE’s manifesto for better transport links and

mobile phone coverage, I propose a manifesto of my own, calling for airports and major train stations to create quiet work corners with real tables and chairs, for every conference centre to provide lockers so we can store our stuff but still be able to access it, and for every hotel to have phone chargers available to borrow when we forget ours. And to install plug sockets by the bed, obviously.

Most importantly, I also propose that whenever travelling, every freelancer and self-employed person wears a special badge. That way we can instantly recognise each other as we criss-cross the country. If we all wear special badges we can say hello and invite each other to have a beer or two in the hotel bar together and share our tips and stories. And then we can remind ourselves how brilliant it is to be self-employed, and then instantly feel a lot better. Who knows, this whole working while travelling thing could actually turn out to be fun after all.

Rachel Bridge is an opinion writer for The Sunday Telegraph and has written five bestselling books about entrepreneurs, including How to start a Business without any Money.

@RACHELBRIDGE100

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THE HOLIDAYS ARE (UNFORTUNATELY) COMIN’ 30

THE HOLIDAYS ARE (UNFORTUNATELY) COMIN’Benedict Smith looks ahead to ‘everybody’s’ favourite time of the year; Christmas.

It’s November, which means one thing and one thing only. Christmas is just around the corner. Now, if you’ve had your head buried in the sand for the past six weeks, I imagine this is a rather cruel awakening for you and perhaps not the news you wanted to hear on a (no doubt) rainy November day. But it is happening, I’m afraid. Festive frivolity looms and it’ll be on us before you know it.

And it does roll around quickly, doesn’t it? Just as you’ve shaken off the financial shock of last Christmas, another one is staring you in the face. I wouldn’t be surprised if right about now you’re scratching your head in disbelief at the appalling amount of money you gleefully urinated up the wall over the course of last year’s Christmas break – a holiday which, might I add, seems to get longer each year. If you’d prefer me to state the obvious with a more delicate turn of phrase, Christmas is expensive.

It doesn’t matter how many socially awkward dinner parties, tedious family gatherings and marathon shopping trips you do your best to swerve, Christmas has a funny way of crippling your bank balance, making January the leanest month on the calendar.

For those in permanent jobs with the safety of a pay cheque at the end of the month, January is bad enough. But as you know all too well, if you work for yourself, there are no such guarantees. The uncertainty of what lies ahead, and the pros-pect of little to no work can make January a daunting prospect for self-employed people.

To add insult to injury, those who work for themselves simply don’t have the luxury of skipping over to HR to request two weeks’ paid holiday like the typical employee. There’s no

going to sleep on Christmas Eve hoping to wake up to a big fat Christmas bonus in their bank account either.

So believe it or not, and contrary to the quite frankly boring and worn-out stereotype, many independent professionals actually work over Christmas, meaning that ‘most wonderful time of the year’ can often be the busiest time of the year too.

And they say Christmas should be spent with your loved ones. But if we’re honest with one another that goes out the window when the sales arrive. The high street well and truly comes alive in the run-up to Christmas, remaining unbear-ably busy well into the New Year. Based on statistics gathered by the Centre for Retail Re-search, Christmas-related shopping accounts for more than 20% of the annual income for the UK retail industry.

Needless to say, Christmas is therefore big busi-ness for retailers who rely on thousands of temporary workers to cope with such an increase in demand, as Kate Shoesmith, Head of Policy at the Recruitment & Employment Confedera-tion tells me.

“In May, for example, 60% of employers said they were using agency workers to meet peaks in demand for their products and services. The causes aren’t all seasonal, but by September that was up to 82%.

“In the run-up to Christmas, covering leave and meeting peaks in customer demand are stronger reasons for employers to take on agency workers than any other time – good news for people look-ing for opportunities to earn,” she said.

Sure, sales assistants, delivery drivers and warehouse operatives make up a fair chunk of these seasonal workers, but highly skilled con-tractors and freelancers are just as important over this period.

“Without access to the temporary staff they need, many companies would struggle, particularly in November and December, but flexible work is absolutely essential to the wider success of the UK labour market,” explained Kate.

So, while you are hereby given permission to be a miserable sod over Christmas (if you’re work-ing that is), I plead with you that when you return home and tuck into your Yuletide Log, do it with gusto and in the spirit of Christmas, because the UK can’t do without you! And I’m guessing the money isn’t half bad either…

Follow Benedict at @BENSMITHIPSE

“WITHOUT ACCESS TO THE TEMPORARY STAFF THEY NEED,

MANY COMPANIES WOULD STRUGGLE, PARTICULARLY IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER”

Neardesk-A4.indd 1 10/11/2014 16:41

For some, a meal for one spent sporting a paper hat is pretty much the most depressing scenar-io ever. That said, it is worth noting that as a director of a company you are exempt from paying tax on an annual party, or similar annu-al function up to £150 per head – a budget which certainly makes the idea of pulling Christmas crackers by yourself a lot more palatable.

This budget also applies should you want to hold two or more annual events – or in this case – Christmas parties. However if you have a few boozy Christmas lunches planned, you’re re-quired to calculate the cost per head before you claim back at the end of the financial year.

Fortunately – and in a bid to be safe rather than sorry on a pretty complex issue like ex-penses, we had a word with Jacqui Mann, Senior Tax Consultant at Abbey Tax Protec-tion. She was on hand to take us through the dos and don’ts when it comes to claiming back on the Christmas lunch.

“The £150 need not be confined to one event. There is, however, a difference between a sole trader and a limited company. A sole trader can-not claim for him/herself, but can claim for any employees”, she explained.

“A director of a limited company could claim on the basis that he/she is an employee of the com-pany. The following bullet points should add a little more detail, when claiming £150 you need to be aware of the following HMRC exemption for Christmas, or other annual functions.”

32THE CHRISTMAS PARTY: THE EXPENSES GUIDE

THE CHRISTMAS PARTY: THE EXPENSES GUIDE Professionally speaking, Christmas for anyone who works independently can feel like a lonely affair. Sure, for most of you, there are the traditional festivities with family and friends, but by the very definition of your way of working, you aren’t likely to have any colleagues to get into the Christmas spirit with.

1. The £150 per head is an exemption and not an allowance to be offset. In other words, use it or lose it!

2. The amount of £150 is per attendee and is not just for employees (ie partners/spouses who attend have their own exemption lim-it of £150)

3. To arrive at the cost per attendee, add all costs (which would include such things as taxis and accommodation) of the event and divide by the number of attendees.

4. For the exemption to apply, the event must be generally open to all and not be exclusive to a particular group. However events based on separate working locations or depart-ments of employees are allowed if generally available to all employees within the location or department. Unless the principle of gen-erality is achieved, then the full amount is taxable against the employees who attended. For example, an exclusively Directors event which excluded employees would not qual-ify for the exemption.

5. The exemption can be spread across more than one event.

6. If a number of events are held by the employ-er and one of them takes the average cost per head above the £150, then the employer needs to decide which events are exempt (under the £150) and which events are taxable (an event which causes the cumulative average per head to exceed £150).

If the £150 doesn’t tempt you into dining alone, all is not lost. As luck would have it, you have a ready-made substitute for colleagues when it comes to making merry – your contacts list. Christmas can be the perfect time to hit-up busi-ness prospects, catch up with current clients and develop new business relationships – because after all, who doesn’t enjoy an evening getting merry on the sherry in the build up to Christmas?

And if you’re worried about the cost taking a client out for Christmas (and who wouldn’t be!?), never fear, Christmas business lunches are just like all your other business lunches – tax deductible.

And if all else fails and you happen to have one employee – say a company secretary, a trainee or an intern – you are exempt from paying tax on your Christmas meal.

So there you have it. Working alone certainly doesn’t mean you have to be alone this Christmas.

“FOR SOME, A MEAL FOR ONE SPENT SPORTING A PAPER HAT

IS PRETTY MUCH THE MOST DEPRESSING SCENARIO EVER.

THAT SAID, IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT AS A DIRECTOR OF A

COMPANY YOU ARE EXEMPT FROM PAYING TAX ON AN ANNUAL PARTY,

OR SIMILAR ANNUAL FUNCTION UP TO £150 PER HEAD”

Planning a party? Let us know @TEAMIPSE

Guide to Freelancing 1Visit www.ipse.co.uk/advice to download it today.

Guide toRetirement Savings

Why should you think about saving for retirement? Well once you’re no longer working, you will typically need more than just the state pension to rely on.

Planning in advance to make sure your savings pot is big enough to enable you to have a comfortable retirement is essential.

IPSE’s Guide to Retirement Savings outlines the basic information you will need to consider when thinking about saving for retirement.

A Glance at

2015While predicting the future – especially in this political climate – can be a fool’s errand, we are casting caution to the wind and highlighting what could be in store for the growing army of self-employed people across the UK in 2015.

35A GLANCE AT 2015

HANG TOUGHAccording to the experts, Britain’s economy could suffer from huge uncertainty if next year’s general election delivers a hung parliament, as many polls currently pre-dict. The prospect of no clear winner when Britain heads to the polling booths in May is already pushing down next year’s growth and business investment predictions, which is bad news for microbusinesses. The first three months of 2015 will be crucial for our economy.

24/7 TUBESBoris Johnson will deliver on his promise to bring twen-ty-four hour a day tubes to five of the London under-ground lines from Friday to Sunday. It will be a significant development for the late night revellers, and the thousands of contractors and shift workers getting around the capital in the wee hours. It is expected to be ready from September 2015 onwards.

ANOTHER RUNWAY?The Government – Whoever that may be – is set to announce their decision on another runway in the South-East, next year – and having all but discarded ‘Boris Island’ as an option, it looks set to be a straight fight between Heathrow and Gatwick.

Many have cited cheaper flights, improved trade with foreign countries and better capacity as reasons for going ahead with the initiative, but an increasing cost and questionable environmental implications is making it a controversial topic. Expect the debate to rumble on right to the bitter end.

LOCAL POWERDo not be surprised to see extra powers devolved to local government in 2015 – a lasting effect of this year’s Scottish Independence referendum. With more control over budgets and legislation, local government could have more of a say over business rates, broadband qual-ity and transport links – all critically important to those who work for themselves. The Chancellor has promised this will create a northern economic powerhouse. Those north of Watford wait with baited breath.

BUSINESS ENTITY TESTS SCRAPPEDHMRC has announced that it will be withdrawing the ‘Business Entity Tests’ (BETs) from April next year. Cue mass celebrations from Britain’s contractors. The tests were introduced just two years ago as a (horribly mis-guided) way of helping individuals work out their risk of being investigated under the ‘IR35’ legislation, but have proved to be spectacularly unfit for purpose. Good bye, and good riddance.

EARNINGS ON THE UPFreelancers, contractors and independent profes-sionals have long been bucking the trend for wage stagnation, so don’t be surprised if this continues. According to predictions from umbrella employment specialist, Giant Group, IT contractors expect both earnings and opportunities to increase over the next twelve months. A massive 96% of those surveyed expect their earnings will rise throughout 2015, an increase of 4% year-on-year.

And as for opportunities, a telling 98% predict that more roles will become available over the course of 2015, representing growth of 27% year-on-year. The future looks bright indeed.

ANOTHER RECORD YEAR FOR SELF-EMPLOYMENT?With almost 5million people now working for them-selves in the UK, 2014 was a record breaking year for self-employment in the UK. The revolution in the way we work is well underway and it’s widely predict-ed that the number of people working for themselves will top those working in the public sector in 2016. But we for one wouldn’t bet against this happening towards the back end of next year. Stranger things have happened after all…

“DO NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE EXTRA POWERS DEVOLVED

TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN 2015 – A LASTING EFFECT OF THIS YEAR’S SCOTTISH

INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM”

Let us know your predictions for the coming year

@TEAMIPSE

Contractor-A4.indd 1 10/11/2014 16:37

36THE FREELANCER’S GUIDE

THE FREELANCER’S GUIDE POLAND Widely regarded as the success story of the new EU members Poland has gone from strength to strength since its accession to the EU in 2004. A large and traditionally agricultural country, Poland has always had its fair share of self-employed workers through the large number of farmers. Fast forward to the present however and it is clear that self-employment has taken on a new meaning altogether – creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship are the buzzwords of the 21st Century.

WORKThe growth of iPros has rocketed in Poland since the turn of the millennium. Between the years 2004–2013 the number of iPros increased 88% and self-employment now constitutes 23% of Poland’s total workforce, a much higher figure than the EU average of 15%.

This is no accident. Widely regarded as weath-ering Poland through the financial crisis entre-preneurship and innovation are central concepts to growth here. So much so, that entrepreneurship is now taught in schools and those groups seen as facing barriers into self-employment – young people and those over 50 – are the recipients of a host of Polish and EU funded programmes and schemes.

A recent EU study showed that freelancing is overwhelmingly a positive choice. The obvious benefits – not having a boss, setting your own hours and the flexibility afforded – are accom-panied by the prospect of a higher income which highlights how seriously self-employment has been embraced in Poland.

A hot bed of innovation, work for freelancers is in no short supply. Poland’s largest online freelancer marketplace alone boasts over 85,000 users and over 1.1 million proposals posted to the site. Translations services are a common theme, but a diversification of roles is a key characteristic of the self-employed labour market.

DAILY LIFESharing borders with seven other countries, Poland is fast becoming a cultural and business hub in Europe. And it’s easy to see why. Take Krakow, enterprise and tourist capital in the south. In its centre, a picturesque old town frames a central square lined with cafés, restau-rants and bars. Head just a little further out and an urban cool quickly takes over, where the coffee-shops and bars provide a laid back atmos-phere for those working from mac-books.

Though Krakow is perhaps the best known there are plenty more cities to choose from. Warsaw, the capital lies in the North and is the beating heart of all things business, politics and culture. A perfect mix of traditional and mod-ern culture, Poland’s biggest city provides endless business and leisure opportunities, while Poznan, Szczecin and Wroclaw all offer the opportunity and excitement to rival any-where else in Europe.

SMEs are disproportionately located in urban areas and big cities. But if you’re worried about a lack of green space or being trapped in an unrelenting urban spree, don’t be. The old and historic cities are spacious and filled with parks and cultural centres while outside of the major cities rolling hills and valleys comprise much of the Polish rural landscape. Wherever you’re located, you’ll only ever be a short drive from beautiful countryside and sprawling valleys.

IPSE’s Ben Wright holds an MA in International Relations, with a focus on European Politics, from the University of Leeds.

@BENIPSE

FUTUREThe Polish economy has worked miracles over the last decade but it is still in its infancy. Foreign investment and spending on infrastructure is on the rise but Poland is essentially playing catch up to other EU Member States. Studies contin-uously rank business trust as low and large parts of Poland are among the poorest in Europe.

That said, self-employment is reassuringly viewed as a method of combatting unemployment. As yet the potential of self-employment has not been fully utilised by the Polish government though with freelancers’ contributions to the economy recognised and regarded as vital, support for the sector is constantly growing. Providing external financing opportunities and simplifying admin-istrative procedures are just two areas of focus the Ministry of the Economy and the Package for Entrepreneurship aim to foster the growth of freelancers in Poland. €229bn of EU aid has been pledged to Poland through to 2022. With a rela-tively easy registration process and a number of supportive and tax relief measures in place the future is bright for freelancing in Poland.

POLAND’S CAPITAL KRAKOW

your journeystarts here

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38WHAT’S ON?

Business Connections is always a huge draw at Business Startup be-cause it is such an easy and efficient way to reach out to tens of thou-sands of visitors who are every bit as serious about their business as you are about yours. The Business Connections area has a wall where you can post and reply to notices, sorted by industry.

The idea is simple: proudly pin your business card to the wall for all to see. If you’re looking to make a particular kind of connection, say so – and potential partners will pin their card to your request. Make sure you scan the wall for people looking for what you can offer and respond by pinning your card to their request and pick up some extra clients!

As the industry-leader, Business Startup is free for anyone think-ing about starting a business or expanding a business. With over

250 seminars, over 350 exhibi-tors, advice, opportunities, and much more, it is an event not to be missed.

IPSE Chief Executive, Chris Bryce will be speaking at the event. He will draw on IPSE’s extensive re-search into the freelance sector to bring visitors exclusive insight into the freelance marketplace. He will touch on how to market yourself, make the most of your business and how to ensure you are support-ed and protected outside of per-manent employment.

THE PRIZE Authors Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones draw from more than twen-ty-five years of research, consulting work and first-hand leadership experience to offer a convincing argument for the merits of authentic leadership and practical advice for how leaders at all levels can achieve it.

HOW TO ENTERFor your chance to win a copy of Why Should Anyone Be Led By You, simply follow us @TEAMIPSE and tweet us your favourite business leaders.

WHAT’S ON?This year IPSE are proud to sponsor Business Connections at the Business Startup show, held on the 27th & 28th November at Olympia, London.

COMPETITION TIME

THE BUSINESS STARTUP SHOW

27TH AND 28TH OLYMPIA NOVEMBER 2014 LONDON

To Register for the event visit: WWW.BSSTARTUP.COMTo follow on Twitter go to:

@THEBUSINESSSHOW #TBS2014

“PROUDLY PIN YOUR BUSINESS CARD TO THE WALL FOR ALL TO SEE. IF YOU’RE LOOKING

TO MAKE A PARTICULAR KIND OF CONNECTION, SAY SO – AND POTENTIAL PARTNERS WILL

PIN THEIR CARD TO YOUR REQUEST”

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