• Improvements to member services

• Have your say on HMRC reform

• Freelancing Matters 10 - Advertising correction

• E-communications and website: new regulations in force from 1 January 2007

• Consultation on Pension reform: Personal accounts

• HMRC Criminal Investigation Powers

• PCG Approved contract scheme

• Quality Accountant - more new practices

• Member benefits - January bargains from Nexus Cars

• Regional meetings

• Contract opportunities for members

• A PCG group on LinkedIn

IMPROVEMENTS TO MEMBER SERVICES

Legal advice at a time that suits you    
PCG members are now able to access the dedicated legal helpline 24-hours, 365 days a year.
The helpline is run by a team of over 50 qualified experienced lawyers, barristers and solicitors. Read more >>

PCG's PEI (tax investigation insurance) now offers you even better cover
As well as being covered for up to £75,000 worth of professional fees, PCG's PEI now covers you for Aspect Claims up to £1500. Read more >>

HAVE YOUR SAY ON HMRC REFORM
PCG is surveying the UK's freelancers and contractors to gain a detailed understanding of how they interact with HM Revenue and Customs.

PCG members can access the survey via www.pcg.org.uk/members_survey.
Non-members can access the survey via www.pcg.org.uk/nonmembers_survey. 

PCG has already offered extensive input to HMRC's consultation exercises over the last two years and will feed the results of this survey directly into the ongoing work within HMRC. This is a chance for freelancers and contractors to make their views heard directly to the architects of HMRC's reform programme.
Read more >>

FREELANCING MATTERS 10 - ADVERTISING CORRECTION
A printing error meant that price of an Accountax IR35 contract review for PCG members was wrongly given as £75 + VAT in the advert on page 28 of Freelancing Matters 10. The correct price is £139 + VAT. Members can send their contract and within five working days receive a full written report along with suggested clauses to improve it, email davidsmith@accountax-ltd.com or telephone 0845 660 035 for more details.

ARE YOUR E-COMMUNICATIONS AND WEBSITE LEGAL?
Under new regulations in force from 1 January 2007, the statutory requirement for companies to state certain particulars on their stationery and other documents is extended to websites and electronic communications.
A company will commit an offence if it does not state:
- its company name
- its place of registration and registered number and
- its registered office address
on all of its websites and business letters and order forms that are in electronic form

CONSULTATION ON PENSION REFORM: PERSONAL ACCOUNTS
The Department for Work and Pensions has published a White Paper setting out the Government's proposals for a new national system of low-cost personal accounts as part of wide-reaching plans to reform the UK state and occupational pension system.

A link to the White Paper is given in the thread in the Policy forum and members are invited to post comments on it there.

HMRC CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION POWERS
HMRC has published draft legislation to reform its criminal powers, following the previous round of consultation, to which PCG responded. This addresses some of the concerns PCG raised, but we will of course be responding to the draft legislation in full.

Members' views are invited on the Policy forum.

APPROVED CONTRACT SCHEME
PCG is pleased to welcome Abraxas plc to the approved contract scheme.  Read more about the scheme.
 

QUALITY ACCOUNTANT - MORE NEW PRACTICES
Three more accounting practices have been certified as Quality Accountants on the PCG (QA) scheme, bringing the total to 27.

All PCG Quality Accountants have received relevant and up-to-date training in freelancer-specific issues. PCG's full list of Quality Accountants is also available to non-members. The three new accredited practices are:

• AccountsNet
• Christopher Harden Limited
• Andretti & Co

More feedback has also been received on a number of firms. Click here to read feedback for PCG (QA) firms.

MEMBER BENEFITS - JANUARY BARGAINS FROM NEXUS CARS
Volvo S40 1.6S with metallic paint with metallic paint £193 per month
Volvo S60 2.0T S with metallic paint £269 per month
The all-new Volvo S80 2.4D £289 per month
Al these deals are over 3 years 3+35 payments
Read more >> 

REGIONAL MEETINGS
Regional meetings, traditionally known on the forums as "RLMs", encourage members to socialise, network and discuss PCG issues. These meetings are open to all members, and in many cases non-members are welcome to come along too. If you would like to attend or propose regional meetings, please post to the relevant thread on the RLM forum, or email the local co-ordinator.

• Thames Valley - Maidenhead - Wednesday 7 February
   

The events diary holds information about RLMs and other PCG meetings, and includes a facility to register online, where appropriate.

CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS
For information about the latest job, project, contract and work opportunities, see PCG's Commercial and Members' Commercial forums. The Commercial forum may be accessed by Affiliate members, and PCG welcomes postings by agencies. If you are willing to have your commercial post published in the fortnightly newsletter, please include the words "newsletter OK". Current opportunities include:

• Tech writer - Stockholm, Sweden
• Cognos Insurance - City of London
• URGENT WAMP administrator required - Supplier's office
• Experienced Contract C# .Net 2.0 Windows Forms Developer - Southampton
• Visual Studio Developer
• Web tester - London/Home based
   

A PCG group on LinkedIn
Following requests from members, PCG has set up a group on LinkedIn; the leading professional online network tool, used by over 3.4 million people worldwide. LinkedIn was also mentioned in the article "How Do You Land Work" in issue 10 of Freelancing Matters.
Read more >>
 

Professional Contractors Group Limited
Sovereign Court
635 Sipson Road
West Drayton
Middlesex
UB7 0JE

Telephone: +44 (0845) 125 9899
Fax: +44 (0845) 644 4105