PCG newsletter 16/08

PCG newsletter 16/08 - 3 July 2008

IN THIS ISSUE

Important HMRC consultations announced
Money Laundering Regulations - Important information for TCSPs
Data Protection Act guidance
PCG real life meetings
Freelancing Matters 16 now available online
Public sector contract tender opportunities for small businesses - 3-month free trial at Supply2.gov.uk
Contract opportunities for members
Clarification - Alternative Book Company Ltd
Skillfair 'Ways of Working' survey
Micro-investment opportunities for PCG members

IMPORTANT HMRC CONSULTATIONS ANNOUNCED
HMRC have announced three important consultation exercises relating to their powers and safeguards. PCG will be responding, and members' views are invited in the Policy forum. The consultations are on:

MONEY LAUNDERING REGULATIONS - IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR TCSPS
In May, HMRC announced that they were extending the deadline for Trust and Company Service Providers (TCSPs) to register under the new Money Laundering Regulations for a second time. This was to allow businesses time to read updated guidance that HMRC were in the process of producing. The new guidance is still being finalised, and HMRC are now advising TCSPs not to register with them until it has been published. The deadline for registering will continue to be a minimum of four weeks from the date on which the guidance is published.

This might be of particular interest to members who work as interim managers, who may have to register as a TCSP under the regulations.

Further information can be found here >>

DATA PROTECTION ACT GUIDANCE
PCG has issued guidance for members who wish to use the Data Protection Act to find out what information agencies might have passed to HMRC about them. It is believed that HMRC uses notices served to agencies under S16 of the Taxes Management Act in IR35 investigations: when used, these notices oblige the agency to give HMRC details of all persons to whom the agency has made payments.

The guidance is available here >>

PCG REAL LIFE MEETINGS

PCG is continuing to encourage member meetings (or real life meetings - 'RLMs') up and down the country. These face to face meetings are often open not only to PCG members but also anyone who is interested in learning more about PCG and freelancing. Read more about PCG member meetings on pages 22 - 23 in issue 16 of Freelancing Matters magazine.

If you have never met any other PCG members and would like to start building a network of like-minded freelancers, then look out for an RLM near you - details can be found in every newsletter, in the online events diary and in the RLM forum. If you would like to attend or propose regional meetings, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Upcoming meetings

FREELANCING MATTERS 16 NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
The latest issue of Freelancing Matters magazine is now available online, and can now be read using page-turning software. A PDF version will continue to be saved in the Freelancing Matters section of the library.

Click here to read Freelancing Matters online >>

If you have not yet received your copy of FM or you would like additional copies please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

PUBLIC SECTOR CONTRACT TENDER OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES - 3-MONTH FREE TRIAL AT SUPPLY2.GOV.UK
The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has launched a scheme aimed at opening up more contract possibilities for small and medium-sized businesses.

Businesses are able to view thousands of public sector contracts for the whole of the UK on the Supply2.gov.uk website. The contracts will be available online and are valued at less than £100,000, with the aim of getting more small businesses involved in government projects.

CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS
For the latest contract opportunities, visit PCG's Commercial and Members' Commercial forums.
The Commercial forum may also be accessed by Affiliate members, and PCG welcomes postings by agencies.

If you have a contract to advertise and want it featured in PCG's fortnightly e-newsletter, you must include the words "newsletter OK" in your post.

CLARIFICATION - ALTERNATIVE BOOK COMPANY LTD
In the last newsletter we looked at a number of IR35 cases and stated that the case involving Alternative Book Company Ltd did not involve a PCG member. The owner of Alternative Book Company Ltd was not a PCG member at the time of the initial investigation, however he saw the benefit of joining PCG and has now been a member for a number of years.

SKILLFAIR 'WAYS OF WORKING' SURVEY
PCG affiliate Skillfair, the commission free marketplace for consultants, freelancers and services, has launched a survey to look at how people run their businesses. They're interested in how you find new clients, what local services you support and what other business interest you have. So far, they've had responses from people who operate shops, farms and even firework displays alongside their normal work! If you can help, please click here to take the survey and be entered in the draw for a free Skillfair membership or a free place at their autumn conference.

MICRO-INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PCG MEMBERS
For all but a select few that have come from the employed senior management positions, being a higher paid IT contractor means sacrifice in a number of areas – a career path, structured training and most importantly, now that the credit crunch is starting to bite, job security – but help is at hand. Senake Atureliya of Pie Micro-Finance, himself an IT contractor for the last 12 years, has developed a micro-investment solution that offers PCG members the following opportunities.

Direct access to funding and resources to commercialise software and web concepts – including global micro-distributor channels to offer promotional and support – at nominal up front costs.
Micro-invest small amounts of capital (anything from £100 upwards) into the cash-flow of established suppliers or directly into pre-qualified ventures.
Micro-invest ‘spare time’ and potentially open up future ‘senior management opportunities’ whilst continuing to work in a contract.
Get a better rate by collaboratively pitching for larger contracts (eg. public sector tender opportunities).
Sell their skills in our new ‘part-invested’ market at above-market rates.

The solution to the ‘early stage funding gap’ has received informal approvals from central government, top business schools and their user communities