Small businesses and contractor accountants are still in the dark as to whether the new government has set out a coherent plan that will enable them to survive the current economic conditions.

You would have thought that following last week’s news about the possible replacement (or even repeal) of IR35 that there would be signs of general celebration. But nope, not a bit of it. Quite the opposite in fact.

PKF, a firm of accountants and business advisers, believe that the chancellor should increase funding to HMRC if he really wants to cut the public debt which is currently £167bn.

In a bid to reduce the amount of errors that are made when contractor accountants help clients file their self assessment tax returns; HMRC has produced a series of tax toolkits.

After 10 years of beating our collective heads against a brick wall, there is a clear commitment from the Government to do something positive about IR35. Right there. In the full manifesto. In actual black and white. Forgive me while I indulge in a loud cheer and a large whisky.

The new chancellor, George Osborne, is due to deliver his emergency Budget on 22nd June and the FSB has called on him not to increase UK business taxes.

Over the past year, HMRC gained more power and this had been a great cause of concern for advisers. However, it would seem that these fears were unwarranted according to a report from the Chartered Institute of Taxation.

When I wrote my piece last week, I was saying I was suffering a little from having to write it before the election result was known. I didn’t think that I would still be waiting when I started putting this week’s one together…

The European Commission is inviting contractors and contractor accountants who have suffered double taxation to share their experiences in a new consultation. The public have until June 30 to share their views with the EC.

Many business people have tax policy high up on the shopping list when it comes to casting their vote in a general election. So, as there has been, in effect, no result, does that mean that there will be no change in tax policies?

The recession has inspired more of us to become self-employed according to Kensington Mortgages. They recently published a study that found that just under 25% of the self-employed have been so for under 2 years.

Now here’s a problem. I try to write about things that have happened during the week that might affect us freelancers. Usually I manage to find something worthy of comment, but this week it’s going to be a bit tricky.