The rules for individuals providing services to the public sector via an intermediary such as a Personal Service Company (PSC), changed from April 2017. The new rules shifted the responsibility for deciding whether the intermediaries’ legislation applies, known as IR35, from the intermediary to the public sector receiving the service.

In the 2017 Autumn Budget, the Government announced plans to extend these rules to off-payroll working in the private sector. The new rules come into effect from 6 April 2020. The changes are expected to raise over £1.1bn for the public purse in 2020-21. From this date, all medium and large-sized clients will be responsible for deciding the employment status of workers.

The changes mainly apply to businesses with an annual turnover of more than £10.2 million (known as the simplified test). If the simplified test does not apply, then the rules still apply if the private sector client meets 2 or more of the following conditions:

• an annual turnover of more than £10.2 million
• a balance sheet total of more than £5.1 million
• more than 50 employees

If you meet the conditions above, you must start applying the rules when the changes come into force on 6 April 2020.