Nothing makes critics of the IR35 ‘off-payroll’ legislation (and there are many) more irate than the mention of CEST – the official online tool which is meant to help determine employment status.

The Government has launched a new consultation on the ‘off-payroll’ private sector IR35 extension. Here we look at what this exercise involves, and what the Treasury hopes to achieve from it.

With private sector IR35 reform barely over 12 months away, we asked a leading IR35 advisory firm what practical steps professional contractors can take now to prepare in advance for the changes.

Although you should expect all contractor-focused professional accountancy firms to be highly IR35-literate, some still like to advertise themselves as ‘IR35 accountants’, which is a misleading term.

With IR35 reforms being applied to private sector organisations after April 2020, here we look at ways clients/engagers can prepare their businesses in advance of the implementation date.

The main factors used to establish whether or not an individual’s contract is caught by IR35 – the most important being Control, Substitution and Mutuality of Obligation. How to ensure that you’re not caught.

There is a common misconception that contract duration automatically has a bearing on IR35 status. Here, Martyn Valentine looks at why other factors are more likely to be significant than contract length in determining employment status.

Although a combination of factors will determine whether or not a contractor is caught by IR35, some factors carry more weight than others. Here, Martyn Valentine looks at the vital role the right to substitution plays in determining IR35 status.