https://uktech.org/section/business/ Contract rates, company news and the business of IT freelancing. en-gb Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 newsdesk@uktech.org (UKTECH newsdesk) newsdesk@uktech.org https://uktech.org/a/temporary-and-contract-hiring-leads-the-uk-labour-market-recovery.html https://uktech.org/a/temporary-and-contract-hiring-leads-the-uk-labour-market-recovery.html Wed, 08 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000 UKTECH Newsdesk Business Temporary billings grew at the fastest rate since April 2023 as employers used flexible workers to advance shorter projects without committing to… https://uktech.org/a/umbrella-only-hiring-is-driving-it-contractors-away-survey-finds.html https://uktech.org/a/umbrella-only-hiring-is-driving-it-contractors-away-survey-finds.html Wed, 06 May 2026 09:00:00 +0000 UKTECH Newsdesk Business A survey of 730 contractors and freelancers found that umbrella working was effectively compulsory in many agency engagements, despite widespread concern… https://uktech.org/a/umbrella-tax-liability-rules-put-agencies-on-the-hook-for-unpaid-paye.html https://uktech.org/a/umbrella-tax-liability-rules-put-agencies-on-the-hook-for-unpaid-paye.html Mon, 06 Apr 2026 09:00:00 +0000 UKTECH Newsdesk Business New joint and several liability rules allowed HMRC to recover umbrella company payroll shortfalls from recruitment agencies or end clients, changing the… https://uktech.org/a/hmrc-writes-to-864-000-traders-as-digital-tax-deadline-moves-inside-four-months.html https://uktech.org/a/hmrc-writes-to-864-000-traders-as-digital-tax-deadline-moves-inside-four-months.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 09:00:00 +0000 UKTECH Newsdesk Business Long the reform that never quite arrived, Making Tax Digital hardened into a firm obligation in December 2025 as HMRC began writing to the people it will… https://uktech.org/a/budget-dividend-tax-increase-deals-another-blow-to-limited-company-contractors.html https://uktech.org/a/budget-dividend-tax-increase-deals-another-blow-to-limited-company-contractors.html Wed, 26 Nov 2025 09:00:00 +0000 UKTECH Newsdesk Business The Autumn Budget has raised the ordinary and upper dividend tax rates by two percentage points, directly reducing the income retained by contractors who… https://uktech.org/a/contract-market-cools-again-in-september-as-employers-freeze-hiring-before-the-budget.html https://uktech.org/a/contract-market-cools-again-in-september-as-employers-freeze-hiring-before-the-budget.html Fri, 10 Oct 2025 09:00:00 +0000 UKTECH Newsdesk Business Temporary billings fell faster than the month before and candidate numbers surged, as the latest KPMG and REC Report on Jobs found firms holding back… https://uktech.org/a/umbrella-company-tax-risk-moves-up-the-contractor-supply-chain.html https://uktech.org/a/umbrella-company-tax-risk-moves-up-the-contractor-supply-chain.html Wed, 17 Sep 2025 09:00:00 +0000 UKTECH Newsdesk Business HMRC has explained how recruitment agencies and end clients will become responsible for unpaid employment taxes when umbrella companies fail to operate… https://uktech.org/a/companies-house-announces-mandatory-identity-checks-for-contractor-company-directors.html https://uktech.org/a/companies-house-announces-mandatory-identity-checks-for-contractor-company-directors.html Tue, 05 Aug 2025 09:00:00 +0000 UKTECH Newsdesk Business Millions of company directors and controlling shareholders will have to verify their identities under a new Companies House regime that directly affects… https://uktech.org/a/draft-finance-bill-hands-hmrc-criminal-powers-over-tax-avoidance-promoters.html https://uktech.org/a/draft-finance-bill-hands-hmrc-criminal-powers-over-tax-avoidance-promoters.html Mon, 21 Jul 2025 09:00:00 +0000 UKTECH Newsdesk Business The government's Legislation Day package aims squarely at the marketed schemes that have left thousands of contractors nursing unexpected tax bills, but… https://uktech.org/a/umbrella-contractors-bear-the-15-employer-nic-rise-as-the-new-tax-year-begins.html https://uktech.org/a/umbrella-contractors-bear-the-15-employer-nic-rise-as-the-new-tax-year-begins.html Sun, 06 Apr 2025 09:00:00 +0000 UKTECH Newsdesk Business The 2025-26 tax year opened with a dearer minimum wage and a steeper National Insurance bill, and for umbrella-employed IT contractors the two collided in… https://uktech.org/a/hmrc-logs-11-5-million-on-time-tax-returns-but-1-1-million-miss-the-31-january-deadline.html https://uktech.org/a/hmrc-logs-11-5-million-on-time-tax-returns-but-1-1-million-miss-the-31-january-deadline.html Fri, 31 Jan 2025 09:00:00 +0000 UKTECH Newsdesk Business A record online filing rate could not stop about 1.1 million taxpayers, contractors among them, missing the 31 January deadline and the penalties that… https://uktech.org/a/western-work-will-return-if-east-is-overused.html https://uktech.org/a/western-work-will-return-if-east-is-overused.html Fri, 09 Apr 2004 17:08:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Western demand for Indian IT workers shows little sign of easing. https://uktech.org/a/next-gen-contractors-to-beat-old-it.html https://uktech.org/a/next-gen-contractors-to-beat-old-it.html Sat, 21 Feb 2004 11:11:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Contractors who re-invent themselves and accept equivalent rates of pay to their Indian outsourcing counterparts' will inherit the future of IT… https://uktech.org/a/how-it-is-shaping-up-in-2004.html https://uktech.org/a/how-it-is-shaping-up-in-2004.html Sat, 24 Jan 2004 09:58:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business With rising demand for IT workers, renewed interest in ambitious projects and stable hardware sales, the beginning of 2004 looks to be the tail end of a… https://uktech.org/a/offshore-outsourcing-is-turning-on-its-masters.html https://uktech.org/a/offshore-outsourcing-is-turning-on-its-masters.html Wed, 07 Jan 2004 23:30:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business The shift of well-paid technology jobs to India, China and other low-cost offshore centres is beginning to cause Western companies public relations… https://uktech.org/a/counting-the-casualties-of-outsourcing-creep.html https://uktech.org/a/counting-the-casualties-of-outsourcing-creep.html Wed, 10 Dec 2003 09:26:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Twenty-eight companies have outsourced more than 50,000 jobs serving UK customers to India over the past two years, with many more lining up to cut costs… https://uktech.org/a/it-managers-are-excluded-in-business.html https://uktech.org/a/it-managers-are-excluded-in-business.html Thu, 06 Nov 2003 17:31:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business IT professionals are being denied senior level positions as their skills are seen as too niche by senior management to warrant boardroom status, new… https://uktech.org/a/middle-eastern-appeal-for-resting-contractors.html https://uktech.org/a/middle-eastern-appeal-for-resting-contractors.html Tue, 07 Oct 2003 12:00:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Plying your trade all over the world is a key attraction of IT contracting and one pocket of the planet worth keeping an eye on is the Middle East. https://uktech.org/a/outsourcing-crisis-brewing-warns-uk-ceo.html https://uktech.org/a/outsourcing-crisis-brewing-warns-uk-ceo.html Thu, 11 Sep 2003 17:21:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Offshore development oversights made several years ago are now rising to the surface with potentially cataclysmic implications, one CEO warns. https://uktech.org/a/irelands-bid-to-rescue-beaten-ict-brits.html https://uktech.org/a/irelands-bid-to-rescue-beaten-ict-brits.html Sun, 31 Aug 2003 18:00:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business IT entrepreneurs whose companies have been raised to the ground by IR35, investigated for being independent and roped up by red tape are being targeted by… https://uktech.org/a/business-execs-call-it-shots.html https://uktech.org/a/business-execs-call-it-shots.html Sun, 06 Apr 2003 17:50:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Business chiefs are increasing their involvement in the IT decision-making process, confusing operations and crossing wires between departments… https://uktech.org/a/cambridge-is-uk-s-highest-paying-it-region.html https://uktech.org/a/cambridge-is-uk-s-highest-paying-it-region.html Tue, 18 Mar 2003 15:00:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Cambridge has overtaken London to become the highest paying region in the UK for IT professionals, according to some analysts. https://uktech.org/a/world-s-largest-it-gathering-hopes-to-spark-growth.html https://uktech.org/a/world-s-largest-it-gathering-hopes-to-spark-growth.html Thu, 13 Mar 2003 15:44:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business About six and a half thousand businesses from 69 countries gathered at the world's largest IT exhibition in Germany recently, hoping to reinvigorate the… https://uktech.org/a/freelance-it-demand-holding-steady.html https://uktech.org/a/freelance-it-demand-holding-steady.html Sat, 08 Mar 2003 11:52:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Demand for contract and permanent IT workers held steady in February, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation's Report on Jobs says. https://uktech.org/a/ditched-telco-leaves-freelancers-empty-handed.html https://uktech.org/a/ditched-telco-leaves-freelancers-empty-handed.html Fri, 07 Mar 2003 07:29:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business The recent liquidation of British telecoms company, Concept Telecom, has left 29 IT freelancers out of contract and out of pocket, receivers have… https://uktech.org/a/another-offshore-outsourcing-boom-could-harm-india.html https://uktech.org/a/another-offshore-outsourcing-boom-could-harm-india.html Wed, 05 Mar 2003 12:06:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business IT outsourcing to India will grow by a quarter this year as Western companies seek to cut costs, but this could spell difficulties for the biggest… https://uktech.org/a/job-market-decline-has-ceased-says-jobstats.html https://uktech.org/a/job-market-decline-has-ceased-says-jobstats.html Tue, 04 Mar 2003 15:00:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Jobstats, the IT market stats site, has reported the decline in the IT job market has reached a halt. https://uktech.org/a/china-could-soon-be-second-in-world-it.html https://uktech.org/a/china-could-soon-be-second-in-world-it.html Mon, 03 Mar 2003 16:42:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business The Chinese IT services market will grow 18 per cent this year on 2002, according to research group, Dataquest Gartner. https://uktech.org/a/e-commerce-weathering-downturn.html https://uktech.org/a/e-commerce-weathering-downturn.html Tue, 11 Feb 2003 12:23:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Recent payment card data shows European consumer confidence in the Internet has remained buoyant in the economic downturn. https://uktech.org/a/freelance-it-climbs-further-ahead-of-other-sectors.html https://uktech.org/a/freelance-it-climbs-further-ahead-of-other-sectors.html Thu, 06 Feb 2003 16:14:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business This month's REC Report on Jobs shows the freelance IT sector has climbed to take second place out of eight sectors. https://uktech.org/a/what-s-happened-to-the-freelancer-premium.html https://uktech.org/a/what-s-happened-to-the-freelancer-premium.html Wed, 29 Jan 2003 14:17:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Why are freelancers being paid the same as employees when they offer complete working flexibility? https://uktech.org/a/europe-must-be-friendlier-to-entrepreneurs.html https://uktech.org/a/europe-must-be-friendlier-to-entrepreneurs.html Mon, 27 Jan 2003 15:16:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business The European Commission (EC) has told Member States they should do more to help entrepreneurs and reduce barriers to growth. https://uktech.org/a/the-koreans-are-coming.html https://uktech.org/a/the-koreans-are-coming.html Tue, 21 Jan 2003 17:15:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business South Korean IT industry representatives said they are set to attract hundreds of Western IT outsourcing contracts over 2003, at a recent conference in… https://uktech.org/a/revenue-denies-selling-taxpayers-info.html https://uktech.org/a/revenue-denies-selling-taxpayers-info.html Mon, 20 Jan 2003 18:29:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business The Inland Revenue has denied reports its staff are abusing access to taxpayers' records. https://uktech.org/a/revenue-chief-warns-of-ruthless-crackdown.html https://uktech.org/a/revenue-chief-warns-of-ruthless-crackdown.html Mon, 13 Jan 2003 10:14:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Inland Revenue Chairman, Nick Montagu, has announced a "ruthless" crackdown on 'artificial tax avoidance' schemes. https://uktech.org/a/it-demand-leapfrogs-other-sectors.html https://uktech.org/a/it-demand-leapfrogs-other-sectors.html Thu, 09 Jan 2003 15:04:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Demand for freelance and permanent IT workers leapt ahead of rival industry sectors last month, according to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation… https://uktech.org/a/2002-stories-that-shaped-the-year.html https://uktech.org/a/2002-stories-that-shaped-the-year.html Fri, 03 Jan 2003 17:06:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business A review of the main news from the freelancing sector in 2002, including IR35; Fast Track Visas; the market; and broadband... https://uktech.org/a/government-will-make-or-break-business-in-2003-says-cbi.html https://uktech.org/a/government-will-make-or-break-business-in-2003-says-cbi.html Tue, 31 Dec 2002 13:10:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Government actions next year stand to 'make or break' British business, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). https://uktech.org/a/broadband-pressure-group-slams-oftel-findings.html https://uktech.org/a/broadband-pressure-group-slams-oftel-findings.html Mon, 23 Dec 2002 08:00:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Claims made by the Official Telephone Regulator, OFTEL, of faster broadband take-up in the UK than in other countries have been challenged by the Better… https://uktech.org/a/skills-monitor-reveals-140-000-it-jobless.html https://uktech.org/a/skills-monitor-reveals-140-000-it-jobless.html Wed, 18 Dec 2002 17:59:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business A report from the national IT skills barometer, e-skills UK, shows more than 140,000 skilled workers are unemployed or 'on the bench.' The total number of… https://uktech.org/a/e-commerce-fraud-will-cost-us-500-million.html https://uktech.org/a/e-commerce-fraud-will-cost-us-500-million.html Wed, 18 Dec 2002 17:47:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Online retailers in the US expect to lose about $500 million to fraud and suspect transactions over the Christmas period, according to a survey by Gartner. https://uktech.org/a/enough-eu-red-tape-cbi-tells-blair.html https://uktech.org/a/enough-eu-red-tape-cbi-tells-blair.html Mon, 09 Dec 2002 09:00:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has urged the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to curb plans for further EU intervention on tax and employment… https://uktech.org/a/deutsche-bank-freelancers-get-near-30-per-cent-rate-cut.html https://uktech.org/a/deutsche-bank-freelancers-get-near-30-per-cent-rate-cut.html Fri, 06 Dec 2002 17:25:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Deutsche Bank has introduced another 10 per cent cut in its freelance IT rates, for the third time in two years. https://uktech.org/a/market-report-initial-it-recovery-hopes-dashed.html https://uktech.org/a/market-report-initial-it-recovery-hopes-dashed.html Thu, 05 Dec 2002 18:01:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business The latest REC Report on Jobs has realised fears that last month's jump in demand for IT freelancers was a freak 'blip.' Last month, the 'IT & Computing'… https://uktech.org/a/small-business-owners-work-into-their-60s.html https://uktech.org/a/small-business-owners-work-into-their-60s.html Tue, 03 Dec 2002 18:26:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Almost 60 per cent of small business owners still expect to be working full-time into their 60s and beyond, according to a recent survey. https://uktech.org/a/government-s-drive-to-boost-entrepreneurship-on-the-ropes.html https://uktech.org/a/government-s-drive-to-boost-entrepreneurship-on-the-ropes.html Tue, 03 Dec 2002 13:34:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Research published by a top London business school shows the UK business start-up sector is in steep decline despite a plethora of Government initiatives… https://uktech.org/a/only-slight-growth-for-it-services-in-2003-says-gartner.html https://uktech.org/a/only-slight-growth-for-it-services-in-2003-says-gartner.html Fri, 29 Nov 2002 15:45:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business The IT services industry is going through one of its most difficult years, and the forecast for 2003 looks to be only slightly better, according to… https://uktech.org/a/global-firms-counting-cost-of-failed-it-projects.html https://uktech.org/a/global-firms-counting-cost-of-failed-it-projects.html Thu, 28 Nov 2002 17:14:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business A survey of companies in the UK, USA, Africa, Australia and Europe has revealed more than half have lost millions of pounds from failed IT projects in the… https://uktech.org/a/from-business-to-business-it-s-inn-at-scotland.html https://uktech.org/a/from-business-to-business-it-s-inn-at-scotland.html Tue, 26 Nov 2002 11:54:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business Mike Horley, a top-level IT freelancer with 22-years' experience, was forced to leave his successful small business behind and look for another business… https://uktech.org/a/market-report-records-jump-in-it-freelancer-demand.html https://uktech.org/a/market-report-records-jump-in-it-freelancer-demand.html Thu, 21 Nov 2002 17:06:00 +0000 Richard Powell Business The Recruitment and Employment Confederation's Report on Jobs recorded a jump in demand for IT freelancers last month.