Find UK Accountant

I'm an accountant Get listed
Find an accountant Get a free quote

Self-employed Entertainers and NICs

Created at
16th-Sep-2013
Author
Shaikh & Co Ltd

This controversial issue revolves around the fact that whilst self-employed for income tax purposes, an entertainer is generally deemed to be an employed earner for National Insurance Contribution purposes.

Up for consultation is a choice of action to take effect from 6th April 2014, with the choices being:

  • do nothing – entertainers retain dual status for tax and NICs
  • simplifying legislation within the Class 1 NICs regime
  • moving entertainers’ earnings into the Class 2 and 4 NICs regime like all other self-employed people

Not surprisingly, HMRC do not consider it is realistic to do nothing. It is a very important issue for entertainers as if the decision is to bring them all into the self-employed net for NICs they will no longer have earnings which count towards entitlement to earning-related contributory benefit – something that is vital to the majority of entertainers given that HMRC believe the average annual earnings are only £12,000 and they perform for an industry average of only about 13 weeks per year.

If you are an entertainer and would like a no-obligation chat with us, why not call Shaikh & Co today?