Self Employed Task Force Championed By Credit Managers

10th April 2018.

Groups representing up to two million small companies and self-employed people have joined forces to demand a series of reforms that they say are necessary to maintain Britain’s status as “one of the best places in the world to start and grow a business”.

Being self-employed can be tough. You have to do your own taxes, work through your lunch break and get little support from the government. This new task force, set up by 11 organisations aims to help small businesses win government contracts, as well as resolve any “confusion” over what defines self-employment. Amid strong growth in self-employment since 2001, certain employers have been exploiting the self-employed status to shirk responsibilities and cut costs; such as not paying national insurance. There has therefore been a strong demand for clarification, to ensure these dishonest employers are exposed and the genuine self-employed do not suffer by association.

Being self-employed is a chance to be independent, to be your own boss, however you do not have to take it all on your shoulders. At the Credit Protection Association, our debt recovery and credit management services can free up cash flow as well as ensure your business is always looking its best.

The task force was particularly eager to encourage growth in self-employed enterprises and demanded an emphasis be placed on “differentiating between quasi-employees and the truly self-employed.

The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE) said the government needed to act, as the self-employed were “unsettled” by waiting for the ramifications of court decisions involving companies such as Uber, Pimlico Plumbers and Deliveroo to clarify their legal status.

Simon McVicker, IPSE’s director of policy and external affairs, said: “The lack of clarity about who is and who isn’t self-employed is creating confusion and stifling confidence in this vital sector. It is totally unacceptable that policymakers are relying on the courts to define self-employment. We want a positive definition of self-employment so the genuinely self-employed have certainty and peace of mind, and so unscrupulous companies cannot exploit the confusion and push people into false self-employment.”

Mr McVicker said: “This manifesto provides a roadmap for the government to fully embrace the benefits the self-employed bring to the economy, particularly in ensuring the UK retains its most important competitive advantage — its flexibility — at this uncertain Brexit time.”

Emma Jones, the founder of Enterprise Nation, a small business support group, said: “Small businesses and the self-employed have been patient but it’s time to raise these legitimate concerns in order to support enterprising individuals so they can have the best chance to grow businesses and thrive in the UK.”

Being a business owner isn’t easy, and it’s even harder if you’re on your own. What this task force has illustrated, however, is that even the self-employed aren’t too shy to ask for help. There is strong support for the more vulnerable corners of the business world, whether they are a small business or self-employed. If growth in these sectors is to be encouraged, these business owners must speak up. Traditional banking is no longer the only path to go down, and anything from crowdfunding to peer-to-peer lending can provide financial freedom in some shape.

When you are self-employed you must always consider your business health. Unlike a large corporate business, a self-employed enterprise is more vulnerable to late payers and a weak credit control procedure. Whether you are small or large you must ensure your cash flow is strong and your suppliers are paying on time.

At the Credit Protection Association, we not only free up cash flow but ensure that cash is flowing through a strong and prosperous business. While our debt recovery services will chase away late payers and satisfy those unpaid invoices, our credit management products will also enhance your credit rating and credit check all the customers and suppliers you deal with.