The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed (IPSE), formerly PCG, today launched its new manifesto at a packed launch event in Westminster, Britain’s Secret Weapon: Unleashing Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed in the New Economy.
With over 21,000 members, IPSE is the largest association of independent professionals in the EU, representing freelancers, contractors and consultants from every sector of the economy. A not-for-profit organisation run by its members, IPSE believes that flexibility in the market is crucial to Britain’s economic success. The organisation aims to improve the landscape for the freelance way of working through their active and influential voice in government and industry.
The full document is available in PDF form from their website. An outline of some of the key policies included in the document are outlined below.
1. Appoint a Minister for self-employment
“There’s already a Minister for small business, but not for self-employment. This needs to change.
“It is vital the UK appoints a Minister for self-employment within the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) with a specific focus on the needs of this group.”
2. Back the rise in women choosing self-employment
“Four out of ten independent professionals are women, and the number of mothers working for themselves has shot up by 55% in the last five years.
“The main political parties must re-examine how the self-employed are treated when it comes to maternity and paternity benefits. There’s absolutely no reason why hard-working self-employed mothers should receive a different amount to employees when caring for a child.”
3. Protect self-employed people from the scourge of late payment
“Clients paying late is one of the biggest issues affecting self-employed people and microbusinesses. The next government, whoever that may be, must strengthen the Prompt Payment Code and name and shame the worst offenders.
“We need a system for small businesses to report clients who fail to pay within a reasonable timescale anonymously, so they aren’t compelled to jeopardise important relationships by sticking their heads above the parapet.”
4. Support the thousands of young people who want to be their own boss
“The biggest growth area in self-employment is among people aged between 18 and 30 years old, but self-employment and entrepreneurship is still overlooked on the curriculum at secondary and sixth-form level.
“We encourage politicians to recognise the new economy of self-employment in education. It’s hugely important that young people are equipped with the knowledge and skills to decide whether they wish to enter traditional employment, or work for themselves.”
5. Give self-employed people affordable, flexible office space in which to flourish
“Work-hubs and co-working spaces are becoming increasingly popular among the UK’s self-employed, who benefit greatly from affordable offices which allow them to network with their peers.
“We urge politicians to incentivise local Government to repurpose empty council properties into new workhubs and simplify the planning system to allow unused commercial properties to change their use and regenerate the high street.
6. A tax system for the innovation-driven economy
“IPSE’s manifesto proposes radical and far reaching reforms of the UK’s tax system. Experts have for many years criticised the way the self-employed are dealt with in the tax system, which is set up for employees or employers and not for those who work for themselves.
“IPSE suggests a full merger of National Insurance and Income Tax, simplifying the tax system for all. As an interim measure, a new corporate form for independent professionals should be created.”