[Positivity]

Average wages for self-employed workers are lower than in 1994-95, researchers say.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37678065
How about you?
Budding entrepreneur or forced into it?
I was forced into it after being made redundant in the Local Authority cuts after the financial crisis.
Fortunately I've had 3 window cleaning rounds before here and in Ireland so the shock wasn't too great.
But as the report says many self employed are on low earnings with no holidays, pension, or employment protection.

[Mick Kent]

you was forced into becoming what?

[8weekly]

Average wages for self-employed workers are lower than in 1994-95, researchers say.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37678065
How about you?
Budding entrepreneur or forced into it?
I was forced into it after being made redundant in the Local Authority cuts after the financial crisis.
Fortunately I've had 3 window cleaning rounds before here and in Ireland so the shock wasn't too great.
But as the report says many self employed are on low earnings with no holidays, pension, or employment protection.

I saw that this morning.  Obviously it doesn't affect me because I'm Billy Big Balls and VAT reg. £240 a week?? Jeez, that's a 3 bed semi with a small conny.

[SeanK]

I wasn't forced into becoming a window cleaner as I thought it was a good idea at the time, but because of my age
I'm forced to stay one.
That said I was talking to one of the new Amazon drivers a while back and he was saying he gets £450 a week for 6 days and has to pay £200 a week out of that for the van and fuel.
Certainly the building game in many parts of the country has taken a nosedive where prices are concerned but then in many places they where overinflated before the banking crash.

[dazmond]

thats self employed parcel/takeaway delivery drivers,taxi drivers,hairdressers etc not window cleaners with their own businesses.

put it this way i reckon i would of gone out of business by now if my wages were £240 a week(after expenses,tax,insurances,running costs,etc)

[8weekly]

thats self employed parcel/takeaway delivery drivers,taxi drivers,hairdressers etc not window cleaners with their own businesses.

put it this way i reckon i would of gone out of business by now if my wages were £240 a week(after expenses,tax,insurances,running costs,etc)

You were probably earning that from taking your empties back in 1995. 

[AuRavelling79]

"Forced in to it!"

But enjoying it and like to think I've made something of it.

[chris turner]

I find it difficult to believe those figures. How many of those self employed are actually declaring their full earnings. I know a couple of guys in other trades who only declare the absolute bare minimum.
There are so many loopholes in the complicated tax system of ours that i bet a large percentage of self employed are 'legally' paying very little tax.

[AuRavelling79]

I don't know - I think many people are basically honest. I don't mean "straining out the gnat" honest but basically. HMRC have many systems which flag up disparity and I'm told they look at expenditure which seems too high for income declared. Unless there has been an inheritance or some such they will then look deeper. And don't forget they can look "anywhere" at any account in the furtherence of investigations. They even have powers of search and arrest.

I reckon many self employed pay their wives/partners (especially if they themselves are at home with little kids or whatever) or family member to "keep the books" and generally help out with office stuff - which reduces their personal tax bill.

[SeanK]

I find it difficult to believe those figures. How many of those self employed are actually declaring their full earnings. I know a couple of guys in other trades who only declare the absolute bare minimum.
There are so many loopholes in the complicated tax system of ours that i bet a large percentage of self employed are 'legally' paying very little tax.

Dazmond explained it well, large companies are now employing people under the guise of them being self employed and
getting away with paying less than the minimum wage, plus not paying pensions, holiday pay and other legal employment requirements.
Its a bit like employing  somebody to clean windows under the guise of a franchise, that person isn't self employed he works
for the franchiser but for tax purposes he will be classed as self employed.

[Tosh]

I chose to go in to it, as a mate who decided one day he wanted a new TV went and bought one. I'd never been able to afford to get what I wanted like that.

[8weekly]

I find it difficult to believe those figures. How many of those self employed are actually declaring their full earnings. I know a couple of guys in other trades who only declare the absolute bare minimum.
There are so many loopholes in the complicated tax system of ours that i bet a large percentage of self employed are 'legally' paying very little tax.

Dazmond explained it well, large companies are now employing people under the guise of them being self employed and
getting away with paying less than the minimum wage, plus not paying pensions, holiday pay and other legal employment requirements.
Its a bit like employing  somebody to clean windows under the guise of a franchise, that person isn't self employed he works
for the franchiser but for tax purposes he will be classed as self employed.

Although the franchisees are getting 80% pf the value of a clean rather than £1 a delivery. I suspect those I'm currently employing would bite my hand off for that.

[SeanK]

I find it difficult to believe those figures. How many of those self employed are actually declaring their full earnings. I know a couple of guys in other trades who only declare the absolute bare minimum.
There are so many loopholes in the complicated tax system of ours that i bet a large percentage of self employed are 'legally' paying very little tax.

Dazmond explained it well, large companies are now employing people under the guise of them being self employed and
getting away with paying less than the minimum wage, plus not paying pensions, holiday pay and other legal employment requirements.
Its a bit like employing  somebody to clean windows under the guise of a franchise, that person isn't self employed he works
for the franchiser but for tax purposes he will be classed as self employed.

Although the franchisees are getting 80% pf the value of a clean rather than £1 a delivery. I suspect those I'm currently employing would bite my hand off for that.

Agreed, there nothing wrong with any of the above as long as you have people willing to play fair, the thing is there's no employee protection for those employers that don't.
£1 a delivery (shock) Amazon Logistics bosses will be spitting their coffee out after reading that, its £40 a day after expenses
are deducted for a lot more than 40 deliveries.

[DaveG]

I find it difficult to believe those figures. How many of those self employed are actually declaring their full earnings. I know a couple of guys in other trades who only declare the absolute bare minimum.
There are so many loopholes in the complicated tax system of ours that i bet a large percentage of self employed are 'legally' paying very little tax.

Dazmond explained it well, large companies are now employing people under the guise of them being self employed and
getting away with paying less than the minimum wage, plus not paying pensions, holiday pay and other legal employment requirements.
Its a bit like employing  somebody to clean windows under the guise of a franchise, that person isn't self employed he works
for the franchiser but for tax purposes he will be classed as self employed.

Although the franchisees are getting 80% pf the value of a clean rather than £1 a delivery. I suspect those I'm currently employing would bite my hand off for that.

Agreed

Stop press they actually agreed on something! !

 

[andyM]

I wasn't forced into becoming a window cleaner as I thought it was a good idea at the time, but because of my age
I'm forced to stay one.
That said I was talking to one of the new Amazon drivers a while back and he was saying he gets £450 a week for 6 days and has to pay £200 a week out of that for the van and fuel.
Certainly the building game in many parts of the country has taken a nosedive where prices are concerned but then in many places they where overinflated before the banking crash.

The bloke that delivers for Amazon round my way drives an old Transit (which I would assume he owns) and he also does Sunday deliveries.
So perhaps that's how he affords to make it pay.

[8weekly]

I find it difficult to believe those figures. How many of those self employed are actually declaring their full earnings. I know a couple of guys in other trades who only declare the absolute bare minimum.
There are so many loopholes in the complicated tax system of ours that i bet a large percentage of self employed are 'legally' paying very little tax.

Dazmond explained it well, large companies are now employing people under the guise of them being self employed and
getting away with paying less than the minimum wage, plus not paying pensions, holiday pay and other legal employment requirements.
Its a bit like employing  somebody to clean windows under the guise of a franchise, that person isn't self employed he works
for the franchiser but for tax purposes he will be classed as self employed.

Although the franchisees are getting 80% pf the value of a clean rather than £1 a delivery. I suspect those I'm currently employing would bite my hand off for that.

Agreed

Stop press they actually agreed on something! !

 

Got to admit I wasn't expecting it. 

[Positivity]

you was forced into becoming what?

Being self-employed again. Can't you read English?
£26000 salary, +  Expenses, 25 days PAID holiday, Flexi Time, Paid Sick Leave, Final Salary Pension + intellectually challenging work (I.T.).
Window Cleaning and being your own boss is O.K. but it's hard physical work, battling against the weather, it has it's ups but it has it's downs.
If it's all you can do because of your skill set and education it's better than minimum wage but it's still cleaning after all, a job anyone can do.
"Forced" because at 58 trying to get another job in I.T. is a waste of time you're a dinosaur in I.T. at 28 let alone 58!
Good thing about window cleaning is you can throw the ladders on the car, squeegee, applicator couple of scrims, get knocking and even on the first day you'll come back with something to put bread on the table and pay the rent.
 

[Og]

Self employed have to keep their wage down, to claim the tax credits. Innit.

[Mick Kent]

you was forced into becoming what?

Being self-employed again. Can't you read English?
£26000 salary, +  Expenses, 25 days PAID holiday, Flexi Time, Paid Sick Leave, Final Salary Pension + intellectually challenging work (I.T.).
Window Cleaning and being your own boss is O.K. but it's hard physical work, battling against the weather, it has it's ups but it has it's downs.
If it's all you can do because of your skill set and education it's better than minimum wage but it's still cleaning after all, a job anyone can do.
"Forced" because at 58 trying to get another job in I.T. is a waste of time you're a dinosaur in I.T. at 28 let alone 58!
Good thing about window cleaning is you can throw the ladders on the car, squeegee, applicator couple of scrims, get knocking and even on the first day you'll come back with something to put bread on the table and pay the rent.

Sadly no i cant read english velly good as im Romanian.
I miss read the what you was forced into part thinking you meant your a budding entrepreneur as many do seem to actualy think that on here. I understand now you didnt mean that at all so my apologies.
A good thread.

[Smurf]

God old fashioned Romanian name is Mick Kent