Dec / 18
As many businesses wind down for the Christmas break, contracts can be thin on the ground. This gives contractors the perfect opportunity to get their affairs in order and prepare for the year ahead. It’s easy for contractors to get stuck in the same pattern of searching for work, completing a project and getting paid,
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Dec / 17
The effects of Brexit on UK business is one of the key areas of debate, but the impact of changing employment laws, immigration rules and Britain’s single market status will have particular significance for contractors, who are always more exposed to market fluctuations. Here at Contracting Scout, we consider the long and short-term implications of
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Dec / 14
It’s often said that contracting isn’t just a job, it’s also a lifestyle. With this in mind, there are some Christmas gifts that’ll make every contractor’s life run that little bit smoother in 2019 – here at Contracting Scout, we look at four strong contenders for the contractor’s Christmas wishlist. 1. Time Tracking AppsWhen contractors
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Dec / 11
For contractors operating through their own limited company whose turnover exceeds the upper tax threshold, registering for VAT is a legal requirement. The upper tax threshold is also the point at which you need to register for the government’s new digital tax scheme that has been introduced to make the VAT system more efficient. If
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Dec / 4
How to land contracts with high value clients For contractors, the primary benefit of working with high value clients is obvious – high value clients will have bigger budgets to spend on projects. This not only offers the contractor the chance to negotiating higher rates of pay, it increases the likelihood of securing longer or
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Nov / 29
Unlike full-time employment where an employee can reasonably expect to receive training that will progress their career and increases their salary, contractors don’t have the same opportunities to develop their skills on the job. Contractors are hired on the basis of their tried and tested skills, rather than their potential, and are only paid for
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Nov / 20
Last week, Contracting Scout looked at the benefits of creating a personal brand for contractors. This week we look at promoting your brand. Once you’ve created your brand, you need to make it visible, and this is where the real work begins. Start by thinking about your target audience and the best ways to advertise
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Nov / 13
Despite ongoing concerns over Brexit and changing government legislation, the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed’s (IPSE) confidence index report showed an increase in contractor’s confidence levels during the last quarter. Across all sectors, the top factor in increasing positivity amongst contractors was the value of brand and reputation in building a freelance business. Developing
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Nov / 8
It was widely speculated that Phillip Hammond would lower the small business VAT threshold to £50,000 in last week’s budget. However, the Chancellor announced that the current threshold will remain frozen at £85,000 for a further two years. This was a welcome break for small businesses and limited company contractors whose turnover is below the
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