"The contractor market is hardly dead" - no, it's captive. People still need income, but now they're herded into umbrella schemes or inside-IR35 roles that offe

"The contractor market is hardly dead" - no, it's captive. People still need income, but now they're herded into umbrella schemes or inside-IR35 roles that offer none of the rights of employment and none of the autonomy of business ownership. Independence wasn't taxed - it was dismantled. Contractors and consultancies are the same thing, just at different scales. Both supply labour-for-hire. The only distinction is scale and ownership. IR35 only applies if the worker owns the business. That's protectionism. The employer NIC line is a classic diversion. Taxes aren't moral based on the label. What matters is total contribution - and many contractors paid more in combined personal and business tax than consultancy employees and their firms ever did. "From HMRC’s perspective…" That perspective is the problem. It's not built to protect the taxpayer and foster fair economy - it's built to shield corporate structures, outsource enforcement risk, and target the smallest players who can't fight back